PANews reported on September 17 that the White House stated that Witkoff has not divested his cryptocurrency assets, including shares in World Liberty Finance, a company associated with the Trump family, which could pose a conflict of interest issue for the special envoy. A White House official stated that Witkoff has completed financial disclosures and is currently working with ethics officials and legal counsel to ensure full compliance with government regulations, including taking all necessary legal steps to complete asset divestiture. The process of determining which assets an official appointee needs to divest may turn into a negotiation game with ethics officials. If there is a long-standing dispute over "which assets constitute a conflict of interest," Witkoff could face legal risks - especially if he is substantially involved in specific matters related to his personal financial interests, which could violate the Criminal Conflict of Interest Act. Government ethics regulations require cabinet members and other senior officials to divest assets that may give rise to financial conflicts of interest, but the president is not subject to these restrictions.