In an interview with Fortune from a Times Square hotel, where Hines was staying as he traversed New York City for a day of meetings and job interviews, the former Yale wide receiver said that he’s already received more than 50 job offers since he officially vacated his role last Friday. He is seriously considering five, all in the crypto sector, with no immediate plans to return to a political career, he said.
“Coming out of a public servant role, I care deeply about still positioning the U.S. to be the leader here,” Hines said. “Entering back in the private sector, I feel as if I can still have a large impact on how all this unfolds over the course of the next decade.”
Before Hines started as the new administration’s executive director of the President’s Council of Advisers on Digital Assets back in January, Hines was a relative unknown on the national political scene.
Though Hines dabbled in crypto, an interest he picked up after playing in the college football 2014 Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl, he became one of the highest-profile figures in the industry following Trump’s appointment. The new president had promised to implement a blockchain-friendly agenda, choosing Hines and venture investor David Sacks to lead the initiative.
“My number one objective was to deliver on the president’s promise to make the U.S. the crypto capital world,” Hines told Fortune. “I think for the most part, we’re there.”
Given his high-profile Trump administration role, Hines will have his pick of jobs coming out of the public sector. He told Fortune he’s not planning to return full-time to Nxum Capital, though he remains on the cap table and will “contribute when necessary.” He also ruled out running for a North Carolina Senate seat after Republican Thom Tillis announced he would not seek reelection, noting that Trump is already supporting Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley.
While Hines will stay on in the White House as a special employee—a part-time role—he will only focus on artificial intelligence and not touch crypto. That allows him to pursue a career in the sector. He declined to name the companies he’s considering working for, only adding that he’s hoping to have “clarity” in the next week or so and is pursuing executive-level roles.
For now, he’s planning to spend more time in his home in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife and young son and keep a less chaotic schedule. “I can now actually exercise again,” he joked to Fortune, “instead of just intermittent fasting all day.”
