President Joe Biden has unknowingly become the latest brand ambassador for Bitcoin BTC/USD, thanks to a video promoting his reelection campaign that has left many in the cryptocurrency community amused.
What Happened: Biden on Thursday took to Twitter with a message, "A cup of Joe never tasted better," accompanied by a video of him enjoying a cup of coffee from a mug. However, it was the design of the coffee mug that caught the attention of crypto enthusiasts.
The mug prominently displays Biden’s face with striking red “laser eyes,” which refers to the “Dark Brandon” meme centered around the president, but also a popular symbol used by Bitcoin enthusiasts on their online profiles.
While the exact origins of this meme are unclear, the trend gained traction on social media as a means to show support for Bitcoin, with proponents aiming to drive the cryptocurrency’s price to $100,000 by the end of 2021 (although this goal was not achieved).
Although Biden’s video was likely intended to promote his 2024 re-election campaign and connect with supporters, it inadvertently tapped into the world of cryptocurrencies, specifically Bitcoin.
Biden, during his White House Correspondents Dinner Speech in May, made a mention of "Dark Brandon" — a series of memes depicting him as a sinister figure with red lasers in his eyes or in military gear, created as a spinoff of "Dark MAGA" memes and inspired by the conservative slogan "Let's go, Brandon."
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Why It Matters: Notable personalities, including NFL star Tom Brady, Paris Hilton, and Elon Musk, have previously adopted the laser eyes symbol to showcase their bullish outlook on Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies.
Biden’s post immediately drew attention and garnered numerous responses from the crypto community, who were delighted by the apparent oversight.
Well-known Bitcoin advocate Dan Held said, “Tastes like Bitcoin!” while another user going by the name “Doge Whisperer” questioned, “Is that… Bitcoin laser eyes?”
The Biden Administration, however, has been widely perceived to be anti-cryptocurrency by political opponents and users of digital coins, as regulatory authorities have cracked down heavily on entities such as Coinbase and Binance.
A house panel last month gave its approval to two bills aiming to bring regulatory clarity to crypto firms.
Price Action: At the time of writing, BTC BTC/USD was trading at $29,170.23, up 0.59% in the last 24 hours, according to Benzinga Pro.
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