Disappointment reigns as Donald Trump's meme coin launch gala serves up 'worst food'

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A black-tie gala thrown for the top 220 buyers of Donald Trump’s meme coin Thursday night at his Virginia golf club saw the president fly in on Marine One and speak at a lectern emblazoned with the presidential seal, despite the White House arguing that it was a “private” event and he was “attending it in his personal time.”

But while the event prompted ethics experts to warn that Trump has crossed a line by potentially profiting directly from his presidency while simultaneously allowing crypto enthusiasts and others to buy access to the office, leaked footage and reports from inside the event reveal that some attendees came away highly disappointed.

Particularly over the meal, which left a lot to be desired. While the menu for the evening was a filet mignon with demi-glaze and pan-seared halibut with a citrus reduction, what was served to the guests wouldn’t have looked out of place at Ikea — albeit served on dinner plates emblazoned with a gilded “Trump Washington, D.C.” logo.

“It was the worst food I’ve ever had at a Trump golf course,” TikTok personality Nick Pinto, who gained entry by investing $300,000, told Wired. “The only good thing was bread and butter.”

While Pinto said he left the gala hungry, another attendee also gave subpar marks for the food.

“OK, but not top-class,” the guest reviewed the fare served him at the Trump National Golf Club.

After Wired reporter Matthew Champion posted a picture – shared with him by one of the attendees – of a sad plate of food served at the event, it didn't take long for the mockery to go into full swing.

"I've had better food on Spirit Airlines," snarked CNBC correspondent Steve Kovach, who was not at the event, referencing the discount airline.

Indeed, the photo showed a minuscule portion of food on the large, white-with-gold-leaf Trump plate. A handful of orange sticks – perhaps carrots – sat alongside a lonely slice of squash, while it appeared an ice cream scoop was used to add a dollop of yellow mashed potatoes on the dish. The small piece of halibut looked more like dry chicken, and the filet was covered in brown gravy but still appeared extremely overcooked.

“[T]hey used the catering service from the fyre festival lol,” The Ringer senior staff writer Joel Anderson reacted, invoking the fraudulent “luxury” music Fyre festival that resulted in a prison sentence for its organizer who had promised gourmet food and accommodations to a Bahamas music festival that in reality amounted to slices of cheese on white bread and flimsy, leaking tents.

Of course, the guests weren’t at Trump’s gala for the food – they were hoping to get some face time with the leader of the free world. But that, too, brought about some disappointment from those gathered.

After Trump arrived at the golf course via his presidential helicopter, he delivered a 25-minute by-the-numbers speech that only briefly touched on cryptocurrency.

“I think it’s really got a great, great future,” Trump said in one clip shared online. “I think you’re on the cutting edge. Everyone thinks it is just the beginning. And I can just say that we are, we’re believers in the whole administration. We’re big believers.”

In a separate clip shared by Justin Sun, a Chinese billionaire known for his publicity stunts who has spent more than $20 million on the $TRUMP meme coin, the presidential seal was clearly visible on Trump’s lectern