Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse Has Dinner with President Trump, Bullish for XRP?

This is good news for XRP holders and a stark contrast to just a few years back, when Ripple was so fed up with domestic regulatory hurdles it nearly packed its bags for friendlier shores.

The catalyst, according to the company, is the “Trump effect.” Ripple’s CEO, Brad Garlinghouse, used that very phrase in a recent social media post on X, citing the incoming administration of former President Donald Trump—who is set to be inaugurated again on January 20, 2025—as a game-changer for the crypto industry. Garlinghouse posted a photo of himself grabbing dinner with Trump and Ripple’s Chief Legal Officer, Stuart Alderoty, telling followers that “Team Trump is already jumpstarting innovation and job growth in the US.”

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse at dinner with President Trump, Source: X

There’s growing chatter in crypto circles that his new administration will lean heavily pro-blockchain, loosening regulations and revisiting the approach taken by former SEC Chair Gary Gensler—an approach Garlinghouse claims “effectively froze” Ripple’s U.S. expansion for years.

So, what are these new U.S.-based positions that have everyone buzzing? They’re mostly in engineering and product development—high-stakes roles that indicate Ripple isn’t just dabbling in incremental hires but is betting on large-scale innovation in its home market. 

This is a sharp 180° from the days when the company mulled shifting its entire global headquarters abroad to escape the SEC’s looming hammer. In fact, at the peak of its overseas hiring spree, 95% of Ripple’s customers were outside the U.S.

All this movement on the jobs front has not gone unnoticed by XRP holders. Ripple’s native token, XRP, saw its domestic growth stifled under the old regulatory environment—especially following the well-known SEC lawsuit that dominated headlines for years. 

With the next administration poised to sit down in the Oval Office, analysts predict that 2025 might be the year XRP posts impressive price gains. Of course, nothing in crypto is guaranteed, but a more relaxed regulatory environment typically bodes well for tokens and the price predictions for XRP are no exception. If you’re building a diversified crypto portfolio for long term gains, XRP is a sensible inclusion. There is nothing more bullish than the tacit approval of President Trump, that’s why it is called “the Trump Pump,” after all.

So buckle up, folks. If you’re looking to join a crypto company that’s doubling down on American soil, Ripple’s hiring spree might be your golden ticket. And if you’re holding XRP, you’re likely crossing your fingers that this “Trump effect” is more than just dinner-table talk. One thing’s for sure: 2025 just got more interesting. See you on the moon.