Former President Donald Trump has doubled down on his promise to commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht, the mastermind behind the infamous online black market, Silk Road. In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump declared, “I will save Ross Ulbricht.” This declaration comes as Ulbricht begins his 12th year behind bars.
Ulbricht has been serving a double life sentence since 2013 for his role in creating Silk Road, a darknet platform that facilitated the sale of illicit drugs like heroin, cocaine, LSD, and others. The FBI shut down the operation shortly after Ulbricht’s arrest, seizing approximately $1 billion in Bitcoin.
The issue of Ulbricht’s sentence resurfaced in March at the Libertarian National Convention, where Trump pledged to commute his sentence if he were to return to the White House. “And if you vote for me, on Day One, I will commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht,” Trump proclaimed.
Trump’s statement is widely viewed as an attempt to garner support from Libertarian voters, who have been vocal advocates for Ulbricht’s release. Katherine Yeniscavich, a national committee member of the Libertarian Party, emphasized the importance of this issue during the convention, stating, “It’s one of the things we wanted from his first term.”
This move by Trump is particularly intriguing in light of his recent stance on marijuana legalization. Trump, along with Democratic rival Kamala Harris, and their respective running mates, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D), appeared in an advertisement supporting marijuana legalization in Florida.
This renewed promise by Trump to commute Ulbricht’s sentence adds another layer to the 2024 presidential campaign, highlighting the complex issues and potential political ramifications that can arise from the intersection of technology, criminal justice, and drug policy.
