According to last minute developments, Donald Trump is considering cryptocurrency attorney Teresa Goody Guillén for the SEC Chair.
Goody Guillén, now a partner at law firm BakerHostetler and co-leader of its blockchain practice, has a rich history with the SEC. She previously served as an attorney in the agency’s Office of General Counsel from 2009 to 2011 and later as a managing director at Kalorama Partners, advising clients on SEC enforcement cases.
Crypto advocates have been lobbying for his appointment, praising his understanding of securities law and his balanced approach to regulation. “He clearly understands the law and how the SEC works,” said Brendan Playford, co-founder of decentralized data provider Masa. “He will create immediate change by significantly transforming the industry with his pro-crypto stance.”
Goody Guillén’s potential appointment comes after significant lobbying efforts from the crypto industry, which reportedly spent over $130 million to support Trump’s campaign and Republican candidates. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong is said to have met with Trump to discuss key employee decisions and highlighted the industry’s influence in shaping the regulatory landscape.
The Trump administration aims to overhaul the SEC, ending what former Chairman Gary Gensler saw as excessive regulation. Trump has vowed to fire Gensler on his first day in office, and sources say the administration wants a leader who will halt the SEC’s “regulation through enforcement” approach until Congress enacts clearer laws for digital assets.
*This is not investment advice.