Ripple’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO) David Schwartz issued a significant caution on October 23, 2024, regarding an anticipated negative story related to former U.S. President Donald Trump. Schwartz posted a message on X, warning users against jumping to conclusions before the story’s validity could be confirmed.
Ripple CTO’s Take on Anti-Trump Story
The Ripple CTO wrote, “I’m sure you’ve heard rumors that some big anti-Trump story is about to break. I’d like to caution people to please wait for confirmation or refutation before acting like its truth matches what you want its truth to be. Please don’t be that guy.”
The remark sparked a debate among his followers, with one user commenting, “David please, you’re supposed to be the anti-Trump-at-all-costs guy.” In response, Schwartz emphasized the importance of using “legal blows” when challenging political figures.
I’m sure you’ve heard rumors that some big anti-Trump story is about to break. I’d like to caution people to please wait for confirmation or refutation before acting like its truth matches what you want its truth to be. Please don’t be that guy.
— David “JoelKatz” Schwartz (@JoelKatz) October 23, 2024
He stated, “The more right you are, the more important it is to kill with legal blows. Otherwise, people may justifiably think you’re wrong.” Meanwhile, netizens are speculating on what the story could be. However, the basis of the upcoming anti-Trump story and other context is not known yet.
Ongoing Lawsuit Against Trump
In a separate matter, Schwartz also weighed in on a defamation lawsuit filed by the Central Park Five, now known as the Exonerated Five, against Donald Trump. The lawsuit stems from comments Trump made during a September 10, 2024, presidential debate in Philadelphia.
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During the debate, Trump claimed the Central Park Five had “pled guilty” and “badly hurt a person, killed a person ultimately.” The plaintiffs, who were wrongfully convicted of the 1989 Central Park assaults and later exonerated, allege that Trump’s statements were defamatory and caused intentional emotional distress.
In his post, Schwartz expressed skepticism about the lawsuit. He remarked, “This lawsuit is ridiculous. There’s no way to even prove negligence, much less recklessness.” He further argued that many of Trump’s statements, though “wrong in many respects,” were either “substantially true” or constituted “fair commentary.”
For instance, Schwartz cited Trump’s claim that the Central Park Five had confessed to assaulting the victim, stating that while they did not plead guilty, they had “confessed they assaulted her.” The Ripple CTO’s views triggered additional discussion online, with one user pointing out that the confessions of the Central Park Five had been coerced by the police.
“They were coerced to confess so they can ‘go home’ faster by the police. They were young and naïve and believed the officers, which led them to be wrongfully arrested,” the user remarked. Schwartz acknowledged the coercion but maintained that it did not alter the legal standing of the lawsuit.
When asked whether Trump’s earlier comments, including calling the five teenagers “muggers and murderers,” could be considered defamation, Schwartz dismissed the possibility. He replied, “No. What would the argument be? That a reasonable person would understand him to be saying he personally witnessed them murdering someone?”
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The lawsuit remains ongoing, with the plaintiffs seeking compensation for damages caused by Trump’s statements.
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