Donald Trump Displays the Presidential Seal at a $TRUMP Memecoin Investor Dinner

Donald Trump displayed the official U.S. presidential seal while speaking at a $TRUMP memecoin investor dinner on May 23, 2025.

A new report has revealed that former President Donald Trump displayed the official U.S. presidential seal while speaking at an event for $TRUMP memecoin investors on May 23.

The event was a dinner at Trump National Golf Club in Virginia, bringing together 220 crypto investors linked to the $TRUMP token. Trump appeared at the lectern with the seal behind him.

However, U.S. federal law—specifically 18 U.S. Code § 713—bans the use of the presidential seal in private events that could imply government approval for a private enterprise. Violations may result in fines or up to six months in prison.

The president arrived at the golf club in a military helicopter. During the dinner, he spoke against the Biden administration’s crypto policies and interacted with the guests.

When asked about the event, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters, “It is not a White House dinner. It’s not taking place here at the White House.”

The president's past use of the presidential seal at private properties has drawn attention before. Several Trump-owned golf clubs used the seal as golf markers, as reported by Forbes.

But the appearance of the presidential seal at an event promoting the $TRUMP memecoin has triggered a stronger response from lawmakers.

A group of 35 Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to the Department of Justice on May 22, addressing it to Edward Sullivan, acting chief of the public integrity section.

In the letter, they requested an investigation into whether the $TRUMP memecoin dinner violated the federal bribery statute or the U.S. Constitution's foreign emoluments clause.

Under the emoluments clause, a president cannot accept gifts from foreign states without Congress's approval. The lawmakers stated that the event may grant foreign nationals access to Trump without transparency.

Many of the attendees at the $TRUMP crypto dinner were likely foreign nationals due to their ties to international cryptocurrency exchanges, raising concerns among U.S. lawmakers.

The dinner was promoted as an exclusive chance to meet Trump, with no clear disclosures about donor identities.

“U.S. law prohibits foreign persons from contributing to U.S. political campaigns. However, the $TRUMP memecoin—including the promotion of a dinner promising exclusive access to the President—opens the door for foreign governments to buy influence with the President, all without disclosing their identities,” the lawmakers wrote in the letter.

This brought up questions about campaign finance rules and the risks linked to foreign involvement in political events connected to crypto.

High-Profile Crypto Figures Attend Trump Crypto Dinner

Trump's stance on cryptocurrency has shifted since his first presidential term. He now supports the $TRUMP memecoin, which launched earlier in 2025. The token peaked at $74.34 but dropped to $14.44 by May 22.

Among the attendees at the dinner was Tron founder Justin Sun. According to Bloomberg, Sun invested over $40 million in $TRUMP tokens and delivered a speech at the event. Sun is also linked to World Liberty Financial, a Trump-affiliated company currently undergoing regulatory review.

Other guests included former NBA player Lamar Odom and Asian crypto executives Sangrok Oh and Vincent Liu. Their presence has fueled further interest in the nature of financial support surrounding Trump's crypto-linked activities.