Trump administration welcomes two North Carolinians and says goodbye to third
Happy Wednesday and welcome to Under the Dome. It’s Danielle Battaglia.
Several North Carolina residents announced recent comings and goings from the Trump administration in the past week.
Let’s start with Bo Hines, the executive director of the White House Crypto Council. Hines announced Saturday on social media his plans to go back into the private sector. He said his service to President Donald Trump was “the honor of a lifetime.”
“Together, we have positioned America as the crypto capital of the world,” Hines wrote. “I’m deeply grateful to the industry for its unwavering support — I love this community and all we’ve built together.”
Hines’ departure comes just weeks after the passage of the GENIUS Act, a piece of legislation that Hines helped champion that regulates stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency.
Hines, who turns 30 later this month, twice ran unsuccessfully for Congress to represent various areas of North Carolina. In his first attempt, his age meant that he was often compared to Rep. Madison Cawthorn, also 30, who lost his reelection bid after a series of scandals. Hines ran again in 2024 but lost after Trump endorsed his opponent, now-Rep. Addison McDowell.
You’re hired
Two North Carolinians announced they would join the administration: W. Ellis Boyle and Neal Robbins.
Some of you may remember Boyle from his work under former Gov. Pat McCrory, serving as counsel and deputy secretary for the Department of Public Safety.
Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed Boyle to serve as interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina. He took his oath of office Monday. In this role, Boyle will prosecute federal crimes in North Carolina’s 44 easternmost counties with a staff of 119 people, including 58 attorneys, according to a news release. These prosecutions include immigration violations, gang violence and drug trafficking. The office also handles civil cases and debt collections.
Boyle has a long history serving in the court system. He was working for law firm Ward and Smith when he was appointed. He’s served as an assistant U.S. Attorney, clerked for U.S. District Court Judge Claude Hilton of the eastern district of Virginia and worked in private practice. His law degree is from Wake Forest University. He also served as a captain in the U.S. Army.
Boyle is the son of federal Judge Terrence Boyle and grandson of Tom Ellis, a North Carolina political strategist who helped shape the campaigns of people like President Ronald Reagan and Sen. Jesse Helms.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced at the Iowa State Fair that Robbins is nominated to serve as the deputy under secretary for Rural Development. He previously worked at the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. He is also the founder of North State Journal.
Robbins is an Asheboro native holding degrees in chemical engineering, business and law from NC State and Wake Forest University.
A news release from the Department of Agriculture said Robbins has extensive public and private sector experience in manufacturing, rural economic development and financial transactions.
What else we’re working on
The Franklin County District Attorney is probing whether Franklinton High School Principal Russell Holloman failed to report a sexual assault of a student, T. Keung Hui and Virginia Bridges report.
This newsletter was compiled by Danielle Battaglia. Check your inbox tomorrow for more #ncpol.
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