White House Drops Top Lobbyist After Shocking XRP Post Sparks Crypto Chaos

A high-ranking lobbyist has been ousted from Washington’s power circle following a viral Truth Social post that unexpectedly mentioned XRP, causing chaos in the crypto market and tension within the White House.

Brian Ballard, once considered one of the most influential figures in political lobbying, was abruptly removed from his advisory ties after the post ignited speculation and a price surge.

As Politico reported on Thursday, the controversial post was not an official government statement but was drafted by an employee of Ballard’s lobbying firm, Ballard Partners.

The message pitched a “ Crypto Strategic Reserve ” and listed XRP among other altcoins, creating confusion across the trading space of digital assets.

Also Read: Major XRP Metric Points to Repeated Historical Rally – Here’s What’s Happening

Notably, the post triggered a quick increase in the XRP price, as many in the crypto community saw it as a federal stamp of approval. However, officials later explained that any reserve would only consider Bitcoin.

Other tokens (including XRP) would instead be set aside in something vaguely called a “stockpile, ” adding further uncertainty to the market.

Tensions escalated when it emerged that Ripple Labs, the blockchain firm tied to XRP, had retained Ballard’s lobbying firm months earlier. Lobbying reports show Ripple’s association with Ballard Partners started in November.

This was only brought to the surface once the viral post had taken over headlines, gaining consent about intent and coordination.

Ripple’s Lobbying Link Fuels White House Fallout

The situation turned political when top White House aides strongly reacted to the perceived manipulation. One senior official reportedly shouted at Ballard during the ordeal, prompting the administration to swiftly cut off all meetings with him and freeze interactions with his team.

Although Ballard had already been on shaky ground within the administration, this incident was the final blow. The insider post on XRP was the “tipping point” that catapulted him out of influential government circles.

Ballard Partners has always been a firm of choice for heavyweight clients such as JPMorgan and the crypto exchange Kraken. The wide span of the firm rendered the XRP controversy all the more critical, with officials on tenterhooks over a merged line of lobbying and policy communication.

Now, after this fallout, it looks like Washington is taking a firmer stand on crypto-related influence campaigns. The backfire of the XRP post has finally changed the dynamics of how lobbying for digital assets might be conducted in the future.

Conclusion

Brian Ballard’s removal marks a dramatic shift in the intersection between crypto advocacy and political power. The XRP post that sparked market chaos rattled the digital asset world and reshaped lobbying access in Washington.

Also Read: Ethereum’s Pectra Update Will Change How Wallets Work Forever with EIP-7702

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