President Donald Trump hosted a lavish dinner at his Virginia golf club for top TRUMP memecoin investors. About 100 protesters gathered outside, booing guests and chanting “Shame!” and “America’s not for sale!” The event, billed as the “most exclusive invitation in the world,” drew global crypto tycoons. The noisy confrontation highlighted tensions over Trump’s crypto ventures.
Trump’s Dinner Event Meets Opposition
Launched in January 2025, the TRUMP memecoin soared to a $15 billion market cap before dropping to $2.9 billion. The dinner rewarded 220 top investors, who spent an average of $1.7 million each for a seat. Critics, including Democratic lawmakers, called it a corrupt scheme to sell access to the president. Groups accused Trump of prioritizing personal profit, with the Public Citizen’s chant of “stop crypto corruption” echoed as guests arrived in luxury cars.
Maxine Waters introduced the “Stop TRUMP in Crypto Act of 2025” hours before the dinner to curb presidential crypto profits. The bill aims to bar sitting presidents and their families from owning or profiting from digital currencies. Waters led a Democratic walkout from a House Financial Services Committee meeting to protest Trump’s crypto ties.
Senators Elizabeth Warren and Jeff Merkley held a press conference to demand transparency about the dinner’s guest list. They argued that the event raised concerns about foreign influence and national security.
Trump’s Dinner Records
Trump is not new to organizing crypto dinners like this. In 2024, a $1 million-per-plate event drew heavyweights like Coinbase’s Brian Armstrong, who raised $10 million for Trump’s campaign. Guests got face time with Trump, who pushed pro-crypto policies that were later enacted via a 2025 executive order easing regulations.
However, a 2023 dinner faced heat when foreign investors attended, triggering ethics probes that ultimately stalled. Critics have been vocal, with Senator Cynthia Lummis frowning at the event. Senator Jon Ossoff labelled such a move as “an impeachable offense,” accusing Trump of “selling access.”
The latest event saw attendees like Justin Sun, a Chinese-born crypto billionaire, and representatives from firms like Wintermute. The White House defended Trump, claiming he acts only for the public’s benefit. Protesters and lawmakers remain unconvinced, fearing the dinner signals unchecked influence peddling.
