EddieJayonCrypto
6 May 25
President Donald Trump is hosting two crypto-themed dinners this month: a $1.5 million-per-plate "Crypto & AI Innovators Dinner" at Trump National Golf Club and a May 22 gala for top holders of the $TRUMP meme coin at his private club. The $TRUMP event will feature the top 220 token holders, with th...
President Donald Trump is hosting two exclusive crypto-themed dinners this month, targeting holders of the $TRUMP meme coin and sparking controversy over potential pay-for-access schemes.One event is a $1.5 million-per-plate "Crypto & AI Innovators Dinner" at Trump National Golf Club, while the other is a May 22 gala for the top 220 $TRUMP token holders at his private club. The top 25 holders will receive a private reception and a White House tour. Access is determined by the number of $TRUMP tokens held, with a contest ending May 12 and a public leaderboard showcasing current standings.Lawmakers, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Adam Schiff, have criticized the dinners, accusing Trump of selling access to wealthy crypto backers. Warren has also expressed concerns about the Trump-linked stablecoin USD1, launched by World Liberty Financial, a company co-founded by Trump’s son Eric and crypto investor Zach Witkoff. The USD1 stablecoin has rapidly grown to become the world’s seventh-largest stablecoin, backed by short-term U.S. Treasuries and buoyed by a $2 billion investment from Abu Dhabi’s MGX Group into Binance.Warren called the situation “corruption” and warned that pending legislation regulating stablecoins could “greenlight the grift.” Watchdog groups have raised alarms about transparency, noting the anonymous nature of most token wallets and the large share of tokens held by Trump affiliates. The watchdog group Accountable.US labeled the leaderboard dinner "the most nakedly corrupt self-enrichment scheme in U.S. presidential history.” It also highlighted concerns about possible foreign influence, naming Tron founder Justin Sun as a potential major token holder.Despite uncertainty over Trump’s attendance and the event possibly being canceled "for any reason," interest in the $TRUMP token surged, climbing over 50% after the announcement. Should the gala not proceed, contest winners will receive Trump-branded NFTs as compensation.These events have reignited debates over transparency and ethics in political crypto fundraising, posing significant questions about the intersection of politics, personal profit, and emerging digital assets.