Trump appoints Charlotte native, ex-congressional candidate Bo Hines to crypto role

Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi, The Charlotte Observer on Dec 23, 2024

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President-elect Donald Trump has appointed Charlotte native Bo Hines, a former college football player and Republican congressional candidate from North Carolina, to a national leadership role on cryptocurrency.

On Sunday, Trump announced a slate of technology appointments, including that of Bo Hines, who will work alongside “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar” David O. Sacks. The announcement was made via a news release and Trump’s Truth Social platform.

Sacks, a Silicon Valley investor close to Elon Musk, has supported Trump, including by hosting a fundraiser in June that drew several cryptocurrency executives and tech investors in San Francisco.

Hines, 29, will serve as the executive director of the Presidential Council of Advisors for Digital Assets, which Trump referred to as the “Crypto Council.” The council will be chaired by Sacks.

Trump also announced that Michael Kratsios is his pick for director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). He named Lynne Park as executive director of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) and counselor to the OSTP director.

“We will unleash scientific breakthroughs, ensure America’s technological dominance, and usher in a Golden Age of American Innovation,” Trump wrote.

In his role, Hines will work with Sacks to “foster innovation and growth in the digital assets industry while supporting leaders in the sector,” Trump said. “Together, they will create an environment where this industry can flourish and remain a cornerstone of our nation’s technological advancement.”

Trump described the council as “a new advisory group composed of luminaries from the crypto industry.”

While campaigning at a July bitcoin conference in Nashville, Trump pledged to create a new council as part of a crypto-friendly administration, Reuters reported. After the announcement, several leading U.S. crypto company officials competed for a spot on the council. Trump has also said he plans to establish a U.S. bitcoin strategic reserve.

Hines, a former standout football player at N.C. State, transitioned to a career in politics after his athletic pursuits. He made his political debut in January 2021 by announcing a campaign to challenge GOP veteran Rep. Virginia Foxx. However, when U.S. Rep. Ted Budd announced he would not seek reelection in the 13th Congressional District, Hines redirected his efforts to that race, ultimately losing to Rep. Wiley Nickel.

This year, Hines ran in the Republican primary in March to represent North Carolina’s 6th Congressional District but was also unsuccessful, losing to Addison McDowell, who had Trump’s endorsement.

Hines holds degrees from Yale University and Wake Forest University School of Law.

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