[The White House States Trump's Pardon of Zhao Changpeng Underwent Rigorous Review Process] White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on Tuesday that the pardon of Binance founder Zhao Changpeng, submitted to former U.S. President Donald Trump's desk, had undergone a standardized and rigorous review process. Previously, Trump defended his decision to approve Zhao Changpeng's pardon during an interview with CBS News' '60 Minutes,' emphasizing that he did not know Zhao Changpeng personally and describing the charges against Zhao as 'political persecution by the Biden administration.' Leavitt further clarified that Trump's remarks were intended to demonstrate that he had no personal relationship with Zhao Changpeng. She also noted that the pardon process was handled with 'extreme seriousness' and criticized the excessive prosecution Zhao faced from a 'weaponized Department of Justice,' aligning with Trump's criticism of the previous administration's handling of the case.