Author: Turner Wright

Translated by: Shen Chao TechFlow

Shen Chao Introduction: U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham passed away last weekend, prompting Trump to call on the Senate to pass the cryptocurrency market structure bill CLARITY Act “in Graham’s name” on social media. However, Graham did not directly advocate for this bill during his lifetime. At the same time, the Republican majority in the Senate has shrunk to 51-47, making it significantly harder for the bill to pass the 60 vote threshold.

U.S. President Trump is urging the Senate to pass the Digital Asset Market Clarification Act (CLARITY Act), citing the need to “honor” Senator Lindsey Graham, who passed away last weekend.

On Monday, Trump posted on Truth Social that Graham had always been a “staunch supporter” of the CLARITY Act, calling for the Senate to pass the bill as soon as possible. The Senate has only four weeks left before the August recess, leaving very little time for lawmakers. Graham passed away last Saturday at the age of 71.

Caption: A screenshot of Trump’s post on Truth Social

But the reality is that Graham, serving as a Senator from South Carolina since 2003, is not a member of the Banking Committee or the Agriculture Committee in this Congress, and he has never voted to advance the CLARITY Act. He voted in favor of the stablecoin bill GENIUS Act in 2025, but he has not publicly expressed direct support for the CLARITY Act.

The Core Controversy of the CLARITY Act

The core of the CLARITY Act is to significantly shift regulatory and enforcement authority over digital assets from the SEC to the CFTC. This has been a long-standing demand of the cryptocurrency industry, as the SEC has been seen as overly aggressive in its enforcement.

However, there is considerable resistance from Senate Democrats. Several Democratic Senators have made it clear that they will not vote in favor of the bill unless it includes provisions regarding conflicts of interest involving lawmakers and the cryptocurrency industry. The Democrats are referring to Trump’s connections to multiple crypto projects, including his memecoin and his family’s World Liberty Financial.

Voting Dilemma: How to pass the 60 vote threshold?

With Graham's death and Senator Mitch McConnell hospitalized, the Republican majority in the Senate has been reduced to 51-47. To pass the CLARITY Act, 60 votes are needed, which means the Republicans must seek additional Democratic support.

Cointelegraph reached out to the offices of Senators Tim Scott, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Angela Alsobrooks for a response but did not receive an immediate reply.

Senator Cynthia Lummis expressed support for Trump’s statement on X, saying Graham “was passionate about ensuring America remains a leader in all fields, including digital assets.” Cointelegraph also contacted Lummis's office for clarification on Graham's specific stance on digital assets, but did not receive a response.