Patrick Witt’s departure as executive director of the White House Crypto Council leaves President Donald Trump’s in-house crypto initiatives without a named lead. A White House official thanked Witt for his work and said crypto and the CLARITY Act would remain priorities, but did not identify a successor. The uncertainty comes as lawmakers weigh whether to pursue legislation after November’s elections and federal agencies advance parts of the administration’s agenda under existing authority. Witt confirmed his departure on Oct. 15 after nearly two years in the administration, moving to an undisclosed private-sector role. His exit follows those of former council director Bo Hines, deputy director Harry Jung and crypto and artificial intelligence czar David Sacks. Hines helped make the White House effort more visible and left after Congress passed the GENIUS Act, which established federal rules for payment stablecoins. The House passed its version of the CLARITY Act in 2025, but Senate disagreements over stablecoin rewards, competition with banks and potential conflicts involving Trump’s cryptocurrency businesses helped sink an initial procedural vote in September. The bill’s prospects remain uncertain ahead of November’s midterm elections. The SEC and CFTC are pursuing crypto-related measures using existing authority, though congressional legislation would provide rules that are harder for future administrations to reverse.