White House crypto czar trades Capitol Hill for boot camp 🪖

Patrick Witt, the White House's lead official on the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, will take a leave of absence at the end of July for several months of military training, according to Crypto In America. Witt, who has served as executive director of the President's Council of Advisors for Digital Assets since August, is expected to conclude his work on July 24 before reporting for Judge Advocate General (JAG) training with the Georgia Army National Guard. The training will qualify him to serve as a legal officer in the Guard.

"Patrick has always been forthcoming and honest with every stakeholder that he was taking military leave later this month," said Cody Carbone, CEO of Digital Chamber, on Tuesday. The development comes as the CLARITY Act, which would establish the first comprehensive U.S. regulatory framework for the crypto market, faces a narrow window to pass the Senate before lawmakers begin the Aug. 8 recess, widely viewed as a critical deadline for the bill.

Witt has been central to negotiations between crypto and banking industry representatives on elements of the market structure bill, including stablecoin yield and disputes over ethics provisions. During his absence, Harry Jung, the deputy director of the President's Council of Advisors for Digital Assets, is expected to assume his responsibilities, though Witt plans to remain engaged with the process while in training, according to sources cited by Crypto In America. Cointelegraph reached out to the White House and to Witt for comment.