David Sacks, the Trump administration’s first-ever AI and crypto czar, is stepping down from his dedicated White House post. After his term as a special government employee reached the legal limit.
He is transitioning to a new position as co-chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), even as key crypto legislation, including the long-awaited Clarity Act, continues to face delays in Congress. He noted that his time in the role, limited to 130 working days for special government employees, has ended. Moving forward as a co-chair of PCAST, I can now make recommendations on not just AI, but an extended range of technology topics, he said.
Sacks joins PCAST
By moving to PCAST, Sacks is moving from crypto to a much broader portfolio. Sacks will now co-chair PCAST with senior advisor Michael Kratsios, advising on everything from quantum computing and AI to nuclear power.
This move gives him a seat at the table with some of the biggest names in the industry, including Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Oracle’s Larry Ellison, and Coinbase co-founder Fred Ehrsam.
Crypto legislation hits a wall in the Senate
Sacks’ departure comes at a critical time for crypto regulation. The Clarity Act, designed to split oversight between the SEC and CFTC, passed the House last year but has hit a dead end in the Senate Banking Committee.
The bill is stuck at Disagreements over stablecoin rewards and yield payments on passive balances. Recently, Coinbase has withheld its support for the latest draft of the Clarity Act, citing concerns over provisions that would restrict yield payments and rewards on passive stablecoin balances.
Senator Cynthia Lummis has rescheduled a markup for late April, but the clock is ticking. Senator Bernie Moreno warned that if a deal isn’t reached by May, digital asset legislation will not pass for the foreseeable future due to the upcoming midterms.
No replacement has been named for the dedicated crypto czar position till now. The White House, in the coming days, may allocate responsibilities across existing advisors.
Critics and observers question whether the loss of a full-time crypto lead could slow momentum on the Clarity Act at a time when bipartisan progress is still needed.
