Author: Tom Mitchelhill, CoinTelegraph; Compiled by: Tao Zhu, Golden Finance

Donald Trump appoints former college football player Bo Hines as newly-formed “crypto” Executive Director of the Committee.

The US president-elect said in a post on his social media platform Truth Social on December 22 that Hines - an unsuccessful Republican candidate for the US House of Representatives in 2022 - would become President of Crypto Executive Director of the Asset Advisory Board.

Trump added that the new advisory group - dubbed the "Crypto Council" - will be led by his pick for crypto and artificial intelligence czar David Sacks.

"In his new role, Hines will work with David to promote innovation and growth in the crypto-asset space while ensuring industry leaders have the resources they need to succeed," Trump wrote.

In 2022, Hines ran as the Republican candidate for a U.S. House seat in North Carolina, but narrowly lost to Democratic rival Willie Nickell.

Hines and several other Republican candidates have received funding from the American Dream Federal Action Super Action Committee and other pro-crypto action committees.

Former FTX CEO Ryan Salam — currently serving a seven-year prison sentence for illegal donations and other crimes — reportedly donated $13.4 million to Republican candidates, including Hines.

Trump also announced the appointment of former Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) general partner Sriram Krishnan as senior artificial intelligence advisor to the new committee.

“I am honored to serve and work closely with David Sacks to ensure America’s continued leadership in artificial intelligence,” Krishnan wrote on X in response to his appointment.

These appointments reflect Trump’s continued support for the cryptocurrency industry. During his presidential campaign, he pledged to make the United States “the world capital of cryptocurrencies,” to which end he raised millions of dollars from cryptocurrency industry executives.

He has appointed other cryptocurrency proponents as key advisers, including billionaire Elon Musk.

On December 4, Trump nominated Paul Atkins, a pro-cryptocurrency businessman and former SEC commissioner, to serve as chairman of the agency, a move that industry executives hope will weaken regulatory oversight. Enforcement Actions in the Cryptocurrency Industry.