Social media is no stranger to bitcoin and blockchain parody accounts, but given the state of recent debates, none was perhaps a better industry barometer than Trumpchain.
A mysterious parody account that used the likeness of the presidential candidate (and his signature Twitter tactics), Trumpchain emerged this year as a short-lived Startup L Jackson for the blockchain industry, one ready to dispense wisdom on everything from bitcoin’s block size debate to ethereum’s hard fork with the candidate’s usual bombast.
Trumpchain seemed to be at its best in Tweets that amplified the already outsized drama in the space, drawing comparisons between Iran’s use of nuclear weapons with the hostility many have aimed at the big banks, and always ready to build a wall around whatever was unpopular.
Indeed, at points, even the tech-generated Tweets (often nonsensical word soups of terms) seemed to poke fun at the state of the industry’s increasingly complex nomenclature.
But one complexity is now coming to a close, as CoinDesk can reveal that Trumpchain’s curator is none other than former Square engineer and the newest employee for blockchain startup Chain, Tony Arcieri.
In interview, Arcieri said that, while notable for the blockchain Twitterarti, he feels the handle may have ultimately made a bigger point about the US election.
Arcieri told CoinDesk:
“I think with the polarization, it definitely made something of a statement about that. In the tweets, he ended up having inconsistent views, like Trump himself.”
Arcieri noted also that he will be voting for Trump’s rival, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton today, and that he is hoping for a Trump loss.
Asked whether he will shut down the account following the election, Arcieri was less clear, noting that, like many things, this may be determined by today’s results.
Yet, if tomorrow does mark the end, it doesn’t have to be goodbye forever.
CoinDesk has curated a few of our favorite tweets below:
It can happen. Our blockchain has tremendous potential. We have tremendous people. #MakeTheBlockchainGreatAgain
— Trumpchain (@trumpchain) January 24, 2016
As soon as I take office, I will ask Congress to submit a new budget to rebuild our blockchain technology.
— Trumpchain (@trumpchain) September 28, 2016
We tried to put solar panels on the blockchain. It was a disaster. Our government lost plenty of Zcash on that one.
— Trumpchain (@trumpchain) September 27, 2016
I have a son, 10 years old. He’s making cyberblockchains in our basement. It’s unbelieveable. The security aspect of cyberblockchains. Tough
— Trumpchain (@trumpchain) September 27, 2016
The Ethereum hard fork is a disaster. Who do these lying crooks think they are? They’ve stolen our blockchain!
— Trumpchain (@trumpchain) July 19, 2016
Finally @coindesk acknowledges that a Trump presidency is the best thing that could happen to our blockchain: https://t.co/XIfHTkuCYZ
— Trumpchain (@trumpchain) July 5, 2016
If we don’t get tough, and we don’t get smart – and fast – we’re not going to have a blockchain anymore — there will be nothing left.
— Trumpchain (@trumpchain) June 19, 2016
I’m the only candidate who can save the blockchain from the special interests in Washington, from the sidechains pic.twitter.com/U6Qg78e9tu
— Trumpchain (@trumpchain) May 25, 2016
Our blockchain is getting weaker as it’s undermined by the sidechains, by the altcoins. That’s exactly why we’re going to build the wall.
— Trumpchain (@trumpchain) April 4, 2016
Gregory Maxwell has been working on solving the block size problem for years. TIME FOR A CHANGE, I WILL SOLVE – AND FAST!
— Trumpchain (@trumpchain) April 1, 2016
Failed blockchain candidate Gavin Andresen, who “choked” and let us all down, is now endorsing Lyin’ Mike Hearn. This is good for me!
— Trumpchain (@trumpchain) March 20, 2016
We need to rebuild the blockchain’s infrastructure. The transaction rate just dropped below zero. And guess what? SegWit won’t fix it.
— Trumpchain (@trumpchain) March 13, 2016
Washington is broken, and our blockchain technology so big, so good, so strong, so powerful that nobody in this community can stop it
— Trumpchain (@trumpchain) February 27, 2016
Image via Trumpchain