By launching this illegal war of aggression against Iran, Donald Trump has betrayed the American people and his own base, none of whom wanted this.
He has sided with Lindsay Graham, Mark Levin and Benjamin Netanyahu, the most despised laughingstocks on the planet.
By announcing that this is indeed a regime change war (as anyone paying attention and being honest has known all along) he has tied his entire legacy to this action.
If he isn’t able to achieve a regime change, he will have killed a bunch of people for no reason.
If the regime does fall, we have already admitted that we have no one to install and without boots on the ground, it is difficult to install a regime even if you had someone. Trump will be responsible for what comes next- the thing war hawks never consider.
Ross Ulbricht (@RealRossU) didn’t sell drugs—he built an anonymous, free, and open platform on Tor called Silk Road.
Silk Road sold apparel, art, books, collectibles, computer equipment, electronics, herbs, and yeah—drugs. But according to friends who used it, Silk Road was arguably the safest way drugs were ever sold: no street violence, no shady deals, and zero fentanyl. Everything was tested and peer-reviewed, like an Amazon for substances.
For this, the government gave him two life sentences without parole for nonviolent charges, including money laundering—just for using Bitcoin. They relied on questionable evidence and made him an example. Two FBI agents who investigated Ross? Well, a few years went to jail themselves for fraud and stealing Bitcoin from the Silk Road investigation...
So, even if you think Silk Road was problematic, you have to admit that the punishment was wildly disproportionate. This isn’t just about Ross or a marketplace—it’s about government overreach and the state’s power to crush individuals with vague laws.
Today, I’m so happy to hear Ross is free. I’ve met his mom several times—her fight for Ross’s life is an incredible story of a mother’s love. Over the past few months, I’ve been emailing with his wife, Caroline, to ensure he was fairly represented in The Big Bitcoin Book and that they got a copy.
As a developer who has worked with Bitcoin for years, this always felt personal. I didn’t build a marketplace, but it could have been me—or any of my friends—targeted by the government. Ross’s case was a warning shot at innovation, and I’ve always felt connected to him because of that.
Justice came far too late, but today I’m grateful Ross is finally free.