Bitcoin Veteran Erik Voorhees Is Scratching His Head Over a Trend He Didn't See Coming

Bitcoin veteran Erik Voorhees is scratching his head over a trend he didn't see coming. In a post on X early Sunday, he said, “I would not have predicted a bunch of Bitcoiners becoming protectionists because a politician told them it would help the economy.”

Erik Voorhees, a well-known figure in the Bitcoin community, expressed his astonishment on X (formerly Twitter) over a trend he didn’t see coming.

“I would not have predicted a bunch of Bitcoiners becoming protectionists because a politician told them it would help the economy,” Voorhees stated.

His comment was met with a flurry of reactions, largely in disbelief.

One commenter replied, “The libertarian dream died for us in 2017. It’s mostly just bubble chasing hypebeasts left trying to make a quick buck.”

Another chipped in, “It was obvious when their main goal politically was to get the government to buy more bitcoin instead of protecting developers from being jailed or self custody.”

The broader takeaway from the thread is that Bitcoin’s ideological base might be cracking under the weight of political influence and market speculation.

One user sarcastically noted how “don't trust, verify” has turned into “trust the tariff guy, he's got a plan.”

Even some long-time observers expressed shock. “Did not have bitcoiners cheering for tariffs to make the Fed print money on my bingo card.”

Still, a few voices tried to rationalize the shift. One argument went, “Better to use tariffs than raise income taxes. At least that way foreigners will end up subsidizing part of the pain.”

But that didn't sit well with many in the crypto space, who feel the community is losing sight of what it originally stood for. As one commenter put it, “The whole point was always about borderless, free market exchange.”

Some suggested this shift isn’t about policy at all, but about blind loyalty to political figures.

“Cults of personality are often underestimated by the people who are outside of those targeted.”

In the end, Voorhees’ surprise seems to reflect a broader disillusionment among early adopters. Bitcoin was born out of a desire for decentralization and freedom from government interference. Now, even some of its loudest supporters are calling for state action, as long as it benefits them.