US Representative Tom Emmer has expressed concerns over the introduction of programmable Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) in the United States, stating that it may compromise the financial privacy of American citizens. 

According to Emmer, as the federal government seeks to maintain and expand its financial control, the CBDC has gained traction within the institutions of power in the United States. 

On March 9, the lawmaker addressed the issue during a speech at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank in Washington, DC. Emmer further emphasized that the “government-controlled programmable” Central Bank Digital Currency could be “easily weaponized” into a surveillance tool for spying on Americans.