Former US President Donald Trump is doubling down on his alliance with the cryptocurrency world

Former US President Donald Trump is doubling down on his alliance with the cryptocurrency world, hosting two exclusive fundraising dinners at his golf club

Former US President Donald Trump is hosting two exclusive fundraising dinners at his golf club in Sterling, Virginia, on 5 May and 22 May, bringing together the worlds of crypto, AI, and politics.

Each seat at the first dinner, which will welcome wealthy donors from the crypto and AI industries, is priced at a staggering £1.2 million. The second dinner will offer a private audience with Trump to the top backers of his own memecoin, $TRUMP.

The dinners are part of an ongoing fundraising drive for his super PAC, MAGA Inc, and follow Trump’s new initiative to integrate cryptocurrency into his political activities.

Earlier this year, he launched the $TRUMP coin, announcing it as his “official meme token.” The coin shot up in value within hours of its launch, with supporters rushing to buy it.

Trump later linked the coin to political access, stating that the top 220 coin holders would be invited to a special dinner at his golf club, while the top 25 would enjoy a VIP reception and private White House tour.

This move has sparked debate, with some praising Trump for using technology to engage donors and broaden fundraising avenues. Others, however, are critical of the overlap between Trump’s business, personal branding, and presidential aspirations.

Most of the $TRUMP coin is reportedly controlled by entities linked to the Trump Organisation, further blurring the lines between campaign and commerce.

Critics are also highlighting the implications of foreign nationals potentially holding the coin and gaining access to Trump at the dinners.

Ethics experts have called for oversight, especially as the president’s personal involvement in the token continues to grow. Some have suggested the dinners border on a ‘pay-to-play’ model, something Trump allies have previously accused others of.

In response, Democratic lawmakers have introduced the MEME Act (Modern Emoluments and Malfeasance Enforcement) to ban elected officials from launching personal cryptocurrencies or tying campaign access to digital tokens.

The bill, which has support from cryptocurrency critics in Congress, aims to close a loophole in the Constitution’s emoluments clause, which prevents foreign powers from paying government officials.

However, the bill faces a tough road, as cryptocurrency remains a point of contention in Washington, with some praising it as an engine of innovation and others distrusting it as a vehicle for fraud, speculation, or foreign interference.

Additionally, Senator Richard Blumenthal has called for an ethics inquiry into the dinners and the coin’s ownership structure, expressing concerns about backdoor fundraising and foreign ties.

As the 22 May dinner approaches, all eyes are on who shows up and what it means for the future of political fundraising.

If Trump’s strategy proves successful, it could open the door for other political figures to experiment with digital assets as a campaign tool.

But it also raises a bigger question: when money, access, and blockchain meet, who’s really in charge? The crypto crowd may be cheering now, but others worry this blend of influence, digital currency, and personal politics is setting a risky precedent.

What’s clear is that Trump isn’t stepping back—he’s rewriting the playbook. And whether you see it as savvy or cynical, the fusion of crypto and campaigning is already reshaping the American political landscape.