- This marks the first time Cardano’s ADA has appeared in financial disclosures of a high-profile U.S. government official.
- The revelation comes as Nasdaq added Cardano’s ADA to its crypto settlement index last week.
Another area where Cardano has garnered an unexpected spotlight, at least, is in U.S. politics. Thomas Thorgersen, a senior official in the Donald Trump administration, took the crypto community by storm with a recent financial disclosure. The document, filed through official White House channels, reveals Thorgersen’s personal investments in cryptocurrencies, including ADA, the native token of the Cardano blockchain.
Trump Aide Reveals Holding Cardano’s ADA
The registered disclosure, which includes asset valuations and income ranges, lists Thorgersen’s ADA holdings in the bracket of $1,001 to $15,000. It should be noted that these assets have not earned significant incomes, which are classified as either “None” or less than $201. However, the revelation still marks the first instance that the token has appeared in the books of a high-profile government player.
Interestingly, this announcement follows Nasdaq’s decision to add Cardano’s ADA to its cryptocurrency settlement index, as reported by CNF.
Thorgersen also holds Ripple’s XRP in addition to Cardano, the value of which is roughly the same. Nonetheless, XRP has given better returns, earning him between $2,501 and $5,000 as income, according to the latest filing.
Thorgersen’s profile in Washington has been on the rise since his January 2025 appointment as Special Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Travel Office. Previous to this, he worked at the Trump 2024 presidential campaign as the director of strategic operations and was the Senior Director of the Republican National Committee. His experience in the field of logistics and strategy of the campaign has contributed to shaping his entry into the administration.
Also, it’s worth noting that Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson offered an interesting reaction to the news on the social media platform X. His response was to post a humorous GIF because the use of ADA was increasingly found in the political and institutional world.
Trump Administration’s Major Crypto-friendly Policies
Cryptocurrency enthusiasts have also paid attention to such revelations as signs of changing attitudes towards cryptocurrencies among the political elite in the U.S. The date when Thorgersen was filled is in tandem with the larger trends of the shifting digital asset policies of President Trump.
In January this year, Trump suggested establishing a national cryptocurrency reserve and repeating that Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Solana, and Cardano could be important and strategically held. The project raised instant attention among the financial communities, with the prices of the mentioned cryptocurrencies rising temporarily.
As part of the proposal, purchasing these assets under government forfeitures will follow, especially with XRP and ADA, which will not be bought outright, but they will be stockpiled. Even though the executive order of Trump restricts the official reserve to the holding of Bitcoin only, the idea of creating a second reserve of altcoins, including ADA, is on the cards.
Legal experts like Fred Rispoli indicate that such undertakings do not have to be authorized by Congress. He noted that the law allows the administration to structure the reserve as it sees fit without consulting the legislature.
This wider policy direction can be seen in Thorgersen’s direct investments in ADA. With the Cardano token becoming part of political disclosures, one may expect its exposure to lawmakers and dominating regulators to increase.
