- Tucker Carlson claimed Satoshi Nakamoto might be linked to the CIA, sparking outrage among Bitcoin supporters.
- Bitcoin advocates like Jack Mallers and Marty Bent said he misunderstood Bitcoin’s decentralized, trustless design.
- Carlson said he avoids Bitcoin and prefers gold, reviving the old gold-versus-crypto debate.
Tucker Carlson stirred up some chaos this week after floating the idea that Bitcoin’s mysterious creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, might be connected to the CIA. The conservative commentator shared his thoughts during a Turning Point USA event, saying the secrecy around Satoshi’s identity is why he refuses to buy Bitcoin — choosing gold instead. His comments quickly sparked outrage among Bitcoin supporters, many of whom accused him of missing the entire point of decentralized money.
The CIA Conspiracy Theory Resurfaces
The hunt for Satoshi’s real identity has always been a mystery wrapped in theories, but Carlson’s take added new fuel to an old fire. He suggested that Bitcoin could have roots in U.S. intelligence agencies, claiming it might even be part of a larger scheme benefiting financial elites and the politicians they influence. “I grew up in D.C., in a government family… so CIA, that’s my guess,” Carlson said. “You’re telling me to invest in something whose founder is unknown and has billions in unused Bitcoin? No thanks.” It’s not a new theory, but hearing it from someone with Carlson’s platform reignited a familiar debate across the crypto space.
Bitcoin Advocates Fire Back
Crypto enthusiasts and Bitcoin maximalists didn’t hold back. Strike CEO Jack Mallers called Carlson’s comments uninformed, saying he completely missed Bitcoin’s trustless nature — that it doesn’t matter who created it because the code is open and auditable. Marty Bent, founder of TFTC, echoed the sentiment, saying, “Anyone who’s capable can verify exactly what Bitcoin does. That’s what makes it beautiful.” To many Bitcoiners, Carlson’s skepticism only highlights how misunderstood the technology still is outside the crypto world.
Gold vs Bitcoin — The Old Debate Lives On
Carlson ended his remarks by saying he’s sticking with gold, calling it something “real” he can understand. Ironically, gold recently reclaimed its position as the world’s leading reserve asset amid global uncertainty. Still, for Bitcoiners, his stance feels outdated — like clinging to the past while the financial future evolves in real time. As the internet’s favorite mystery, Satoshi’s identity remains unknown, but Bitcoin’s purpose — an open, borderless, censorship-resistant system — continues to prove itself, CIA or not.
