Brian Quintenz, President Trump's nominee for CFTC Chair, has publicly released private text messages exchanged with Tyler Winklevoss in July 2025. The messages reveal Winklevoss, co-founder of cryptocurrency exchange Gemini, pressed Quintenz to take a clear position on Gemini's past litigation with the CFTC before his potential confirmation.
According to the leaked texts, Winklevoss shared Gemini's 13-page complaint against the CFTC Inspector General, describing seven years of "lawfare trophy hunting" by the commission. He questioned why the CFTC pursued Gemini rather than parties that allegedly defrauded them of $10 million or other entities like CBOE. Winklevoss emphasized that "cultural reform, which includes rectifying what happened to us, should be the highest priority" and urged Quintenz to align with President Trump's mandate to end regulatory warfare.
Quintenz consistently refused to make specific commitments, stating that "any decision or response to your complaint should be made by and given the full weight of the confirmed chair." He committed only to addressing matters "fully and fairly if and when I am confirmed," emphasizing proper process. This refusal prompted a heated exchange that ended shortly after.
Quintenz's nomination was delayed less than a week after this conversation. In his statement accompanying the leaked texts, Quintenz implied that the Winklevoss twins contacted President Trump to pause his confirmation after he refused to promise favorable treatment. "I believe these texts make it clear what they were after from me, and what I refused to promise," Quintenz stated, adding that he released the messages to protect the President from misinformation and demonstrate his commitment to transparency.
The message release comes two days before Gemini's planned IPO on September 12, 2025, adding significant timing implications to the allegations.