Trump promised Libertarian voters he would free dark web drug site creator Ross Ulbricht on day one
When Donald Trump made a bold campaign promise to a room full of Libertarians, few expected him to actually follow through. But the President just proved everyone wrong.
The story begins with one of the most controversial figures in internet history – a tech entrepreneur whose creation became a billion-dollar criminal empire.
The Dark Web’s Most Notorious Marketplace
Ross Ulbricht wasn’t your typical criminal mastermind. The former physics student turned programmer created something that would revolutionize illegal drug trafficking forever.
His creation? Silk Road – a dark web marketplace that operated like Amazon, but for drugs, weapons, and other illegal goods.
The site processed over $200 million in transactions before the FBI finally shut it down in 2013. Ulbricht was arrested and later sentenced to life in prison without parole.
But that’s where the story takes an unexpected turn.
A Promise That Shocked Everyone
Fast forward to 2024, and Trump found himself addressing a skeptical audience at the Libertarian Party national convention.
Libertarians had long viewed Ulbricht as a political prisoner – someone whose harsh sentence represented government overreach at its worst.
Trump knew exactly what his audience wanted to hear.
“If you vote for me, on day one I will commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht to a sentence of time served,” Trump declared.
The crowd erupted in applause. But many dismissed it as typical campaign rhetoric.
The Contradiction That Has Everyone Talking
Here’s where things get really interesting. Trump has simultaneously positioned himself as the toughest president ever on drug dealers.
Just months earlier, he told state governors he was ready to implement the death penalty for drug dealers.
“I am ready for it, the death penalty, if you deal drugs,” Trump said. “Dealers are too often treated with a slap on the wrist.”
Yet he’s been quietly pardoning convicted drug dealers throughout his presidency.
Larry Hoover, the 74-year-old leader of the Chicago-based Gangster Disciples, just had his multiple life sentences commuted. The gang operated in 35 states and sold over $100 million worth of drugs annually in Chicago alone.
The Celebrity Connection
What’s driving these seemingly contradictory decisions? According to drug policy experts, it’s all about influence and connections.
Kanye West personally lobbied for Larry Hoover’s release, thanking Trump on social media after the pardon was announced.
Kim Kardashian successfully advocated for Alice Marie Johnson’s release during Trump’s first term. Johnson is now Trump’s “pardon czar.”
The Promise Kept
True to his word, Trump granted clemency to Ross Ulbricht within his first month back in office. The tech entrepreneur who created the dark web’s most notorious marketplace is now free after serving over a decade behind bars.
Jeffrey Singer from the Cato Institute calls Trump’s approach “transactional,” noting there’s no consistent ideology behind the pardons.
“He actually promised in front of the Libertarian Party convention that if he was elected he would pardon Ross Ulbricht. That was a promise he made hoping to get support from Libertarians,” Singer explained.
The move has created what experts call “mixed messages” – promising death penalties for dealers while simultaneously freeing those already convicted.
Whether you view it as criminal justice reform or political opportunism, one thing is clear: Trump kept his promise to the Libertarians, and Ross Ulbricht is now a free man.