President Trump hosted an exclusive $394 million dinner for top investors in his $TRUMP memecoin, while protesters gathered outside alleging corruption and foreign influence concerns.
At a Glance
- Trump hosted the top 220 investors of his $TRUMP memecoin at his Northern Virginia golf course
- Guests spent an average of $1.78 million to attend, with total investments reaching $394 million
- About 100 protesters demonstrated outside, concerned about foreign influence and corruption
- Critics raised alarms about potential conflicts of interest as Trump pushes crypto-friendly policies
- The White House defended the event, stating Trump attended “in his personal time”
High-Stakes Dinner Draws Controversy
Donald Trump’s private dinner for top investors in his $TRUMP cryptocurrency has ignited debate about the intersection of presidential influence and private business interests. The gathering, held at Trump National Golf Course in Virginia, brought together 220 of the memecoin’s largest investors. Attendees reportedly spent an average of $1.78 million each on the cryptocurrency to secure their invitations to what promoters called “the most EXCLUSIVE INVITATION” in the world. The event featured both a dinner for all 220 top investors and a special cocktail reception for the 25 largest holders of the digital currency.
While the evening focused on discussions about cryptocurrency’s future and Trump’s vision for reduced regulations in the sector, concerns emerged about the guest list. According to a Bloomberg analysis, 19 of the top 25 holders purchased the coin through international exchanges, suggesting significant foreign ownership. The Trump Organization and its affiliates control approximately 80% of the $TRUMP currency supply through entities named CIC Digital LLC and Fight Fight Fight LLC.
Foreign Influence Concerns Surface
Among the known attendees was Chinese investor Justin Sun, who reportedly owns over $20 million in $TRUMP coins and publicly celebrated his invitation on social media. Sun’s presence raised eyebrows due to his previous legal troubles with U.S. regulators. The Securities and Exchange Commission had charged Sun with fraud, but those proceedings were paused after Trump took office. Most of the investor list remains anonymous, with the $TRUMP leaderboard showing only usernames like “MEOW,” “LSD,” “REKt,” and “elon,” further fueling transparency concerns.
“Honored to support @POTUS and grateful for the invitation from @GetTrumpMemes to attend President Trump’s Gala Dinner as his TOP fan!”, Justin Sun said.
The White House has maintained that the dinner was a private affair unrelated to official business. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated, “The president is attending it in his personal time, it is not a White House dinner, it is not taking place here at the White House.” The $TRUMP website similarly notes that Trump attended solely as a guest and did not directly solicit funds. However, critics point to the dinner’s timing alongside Trump’s recent executive order establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and policies promoting blockchain technology.
Protests and Political Backlash
As the dinner proceeded inside, approximately 100 protesters gathered outside the venue, holding signs with messages such as “Stop Crypto Corruption” and “America is not for sale.” Demonstrators reportedly shouted “shame” as Trump’s motorcade arrived at the golf club. The protest highlighted growing concerns about potential conflicts of interest as Trump simultaneously promotes cryptocurrency-friendly policies while profiting from his own digital currency venture.
Democratic lawmakers have been particularly vocal in their criticism. Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon described the dinner as “the Mount Everest of corruption,” suggesting it was primarily about personal profit and influence. The State Democracy Defenders Action group warned that Trump might be profiting from the very policies he is pursuing as president. Meanwhile, Trump reportedly greeted the assembled crypto investors with “What a nice bunch” before sharing his vision for American dominance in the cryptocurrency sector, declaring, “The U.S.A. is DOMINATING in Crypto, Bitcoin, etc., and we are going to keep it that way!”
