Guests Booed at Trump’s Meme Moin Dinner as He Touts US Crypto Future

In a high-profile convergence of politics and crypto, investors poured $148 million into Donald Trump’s $TRUMP meme coin to secure invitations to an exclusive dinner held Thursday at Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia.

The private event, attended by 220 holders, marked the culmination of a months-long contest in which the top 25 wallets—contributing over $111 million—earned VIP access.

Four elite contributors were awarded limited-edition Trump Tourbillon watches, each valued at $100,000.

Guests arrived in black-tinted SUVs and limousines, greeted by roughly 100 protesters stationed just beyond the club’s security checkpoint.

Chanting “Shame!” and “I hope you choke on your dinner!” the demonstrators held signs reading “Crypto corruption” and “Memecoin grifters go to jail,” voicing outrage at what they saw as the monetisation of political influence.

Despite the protests, the evening proceeded with fanfare.

Trump arrived by Marine One and spent about an hour mingling with tuxedo-clad attendees.

Inside the ballroom, tables were adorned with placards reading “Fight Fight Fight,” the name of the company behind the meme coin, while gift bags included matching black hats and commemorative plaques.

The guest list featured crypto elites from around the world, including Justin Sun, the Chinese entrepreneur currently navigating US regulatory challenges, and Vincent Liu, CIO at Kronos Research in Taiwan, who said he attended to network with fellow crypto whales.

Liu expressed:

“That kind of access is rare.”

Even former NBA star Lamar Odom made an appearance, promoting the meme coin on social media.

Dinner featured field-green salad, filet mignon, pan-seared halibut, garlic mashed potatoes, and seasonal vegetables.

Over half of the $TRUMP holders invited were based outside the US, blockchain data revealed, reflecting the global reach of Trump’s burgeoning crypto community.

The event coincided with Bitcoin hitting new highs amidst growing optimism about the US government’s stance on digital assets—underscoring the increasingly tight weave between crypto markets and political ambition.

In a video posted by a guest, Trump told the crowd:

“I always put the country way ahead of the business. You become president of the United States, and you want to see people thrive and succeed. The Biden Administration persecuted crypto innovators and we’re bringing them back into the USA where they belong.”

The Extravagant “Gathering” Continues to Face Backlash

The event has drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers, raising ethical and national security concerns.

Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Adam Schiff of California were among the most vocal, warning that the dinner risked blurring the line between political influence and financial access—particularly for foreign nationals.

Even Senator Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, one of crypto’s staunchest advocates in Congress, conceded the gathering “gives her pause.”

Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said in an interview on May 9:

"In effect he is putting a ‘For Sale’ sign on the White House lawn. The dinner crystallized and heightened concerns that we had even before the dinner was announced.”

Speaking on a press call Thursday, Blumenthal described the affair as an example of “unprecedented presidential crypto corruption.”

A Bloomberg analysis revealed that more than half of the top-tier holders used foreign exchanges that claim to restrict US users—suggesting that a significant portion of the funds came from outside the country.

One such guest, Morten Christensen, a Mexico-based operator of AirdropAlert.com, reportedly secured his invitation with just $1,200 worth of holdings.

Christensen noted that during the dinner, Trump reiterated his promise to make the United States “the global capital of crypto.”

Trump said in the speech, parts of which were posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) by attendees:

"We’ve got some of the smartest minds anywhere in the world right here in this room and you believe in the whole crypto thing, and a lot of people are starting to believe in it.”

After Trump’s departure, Sun was introduced by event organiser Bill Zanker.

In a brief speech, Sun urged the industry to rally behind Trump, emphasizing that crypto firms have endured a decade of regulatory uncertainty.

He then posed for photos with attendees, reinforcing the evening’s blend of political theater and crypto evangelism.