What could no mention of crypto in Trump’s Tariff speech mean?

In a highly anticipated speech at the White House, President Donald Trump announced his new strategy to boost the United States (US) economy, including new tariffs on imports from 50 countries, targeting both BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) and the European Union (EU). However, cryptocurrency investors who were hoping for a mention of Bitcoin (BTC), blockchain, or digital assets were left in the dark.

The omission of these topics from Trump’s address, called ‘Declaration of Economic Independence,’ had a heavy focus on new tariffs targeting imports from over 50 countries. These tariffs aim to reduce US dependence on foreign goods, particularly from BRICS nations and the European Union. The move is designed to protect American manufacturing jobs and combat what Trump perceives as unfair trade practices that have hurt the US economy over the years.

Omission triggered the fall?

With zero mentions of crypto in the speech, the digital assets saw a swift and dramatic fall. The omission is significant, considering Trump’s previous campaign promises to make the US the ‘cryptocurrency capital’. Within minutes of Trump’s speech, Bitcoin (BTC), which had been hovering around $88,000, plunged by $3,000 to $85,000. This sharp drop in value occurred in just 10 minutes, sending ripples of panic through crypto traders. Ethereum (ETH) followed suit, sliding down to $1,845, while other major cryptocurrencies, including XRP, BNB, and Solana, saw similar declines.

However, Justin d’Anethan, Head of Sales at Liquifi, a token launch service company based in the US, believes the market move was not entirely because of Trump. He said, “Markets, meanwhile, reacted sharply—but it’s a mistake to attribute that purely to the lack of crypto commentary. The sell-off was already brewing. Risk-off behavior has been intensifying under pressure from rising geopolitical tensions, sticky inflation fears, and now, fears of retaliatory trade actions. These feed directly into a reallocation toward cash and short-duration assets.”

Is the silence loud?

Trump’s speech focused on topics such as inflation control, energy independence, and revitalizing US manufacturing. These are important areas of policy, especially for traditional industries that rely heavily on global trade. The omission of crypto, however, according to d’Anethan, “isn’t as telling as it might seem—it’s more a matter of priorities. With tariffs and trade taking center stage, this was a moment to rattle sabers on the global economic front, not to signal domestic tech agendas.”

However, d’Anethan believes that this may change if the silence persists. He said, “Could long-term behavior shift? Possibly, if silence becomes structural. But that’s not what we’re seeing. A more likely outcome is that crypto becomes a policy tool to deploy later—either as a competitiveness pitch or as a wedge against adversaries like China.”