Patrick Witt leaves White House crypto role as Clarity Act stalls

Third senior crypto adviser departs the White House

Patrick Witt has left his position as the Trump administration's top crypto adviser, the White House confirmed on Wednesday. Witt served as executive director of the President's Council of Advisors for Digital Assets, where he led efforts to pass broad cryptocurrency legislation known as the Clarity Act.

A White House official told The Block that Witt's "detail has expired" in an email. "The White House appreciates his time and service to the Trump Administration, and wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors," the official said.

According to reporting by Eleanor Terrett, Witt is a Department of Defense employee who held a temporary position at the White House Crypto Council.

Leadership turnover at the White House crypto office

Witt is now the third senior crypto official to leave the White House this year. David Sacks, who served as White House Crypto and AI Czar, departed in March after his 130-day term as a special government employee ended. Harry Jung, Witt's deputy director, also left in July.

Witt had initially planned to leave in July as well, due to mandatory training with the Georgia Army National Guard. He had postponed that training to remain in his White House role, according to the report.

The White House did not answer direct questions about who would replace Witt.

Clarity Act faces Senate hurdles

Witt's departure comes as the Clarity Act, a major piece of cryptocurrency legislation, struggles in the Senate. The House passed its version of the bill more than a year ago. Witt worked to guide negotiations in the Senate, but the bill has encountered significant obstacles.

The Senate version has several unresolved issues, including a dispute between banks and crypto companies over how to treat stablecoin rewards. Stablecoins are digital currencies pegged to the value of the U.S. dollar. The bill also faces scrutiny over how to handle President Donald Trump's substantial cryptocurrency holdings.

The ethics question around Trump's crypto wealth became the central reason the bill failed a preliminary procedural vote in the Senate last month. Democrats argued that enforcement language was unworkable because the Justice Department, rather than state authorities, would decide whether to bring action against the president.

Industry reactions

Lindsay Fraser, chief policy officer at the Blockchain Association, praised Witt's work. "The American digital asset industry wouldn't be where it is today without Patrick Witt, who worked at the highest levels of government to make the United States the crypto capital of the world," Fraser said. "He never lost sight of what American leadership in this technology demanded, and when the issues got hardest, he was the one who brought every side to the table and kept them there. "

Kristin Smith, president of the Solana Policy Institute, also issued a statement: "Building consensus on crypto market structure was no small task, and his tireless efforts helped advance the debate. We're grateful for his service and wish him the very best."