The White House has provided further insight into the pardon of Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) by former President Donald Trump. Following a recent surge in media attention and public scrutiny, the White House clarified that CZ’s pardon was the result of a thorough review conducted by both the Justice Department and the White House Counsel’s Office. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed this statement at a press conference. According to Leavitt, the process involved standard review procedures before reaching President Trump’s desk for final approval. Leavitt also addressed concerns about preferential treatment, emphasizing that the pardon aimed to rectify perceived political biases under the previous Biden administration. Notably, CZ had pleaded guilty to failing to implement an effective anti-money laundering program in 2023 and was initially sentenced to four months imprisonment before receiving the presidential pardon. This clarification comes after some political circles criticized the pardon as preferential treatment.