title: Trump's Meme Coin Dinner Draws Fire From Democratic Senators

Democratic senators held an unexpected press conference this week, accusing former President Donald Trump of peddling political influence

A group of Democratic senators held an unexpected press conference this week to accuse former President Donald Trump of peddling political influence through an exclusive dinner with investors in his namesake meme coin.

The event, set for Thursday night, is expected to feature the largest holders of the "TRUMP" token. However, the lack of an official list of attendees has sparked concerns among members of Congress.

Senator Chris Murphy was among the most vocal, claiming that "the majority of the attendees tonight will be foreign nationals," posing national security risks, with possible ties to oligarchs, sanctioned individuals and even groups hostile to the U.S. He urged the immediate release of the guests' names.

Democratic senators held an unexpected press conference this week to accuse former President Donald Trump of peddling political influence through an exclusive dinner with investors in his namesake meme coin.

The event, scheduled for Thursday night, is expected to feature the largest holders of the “TRUMP” token. But the lack of an official list of attendees has raised concerns among members of Congress.

Sen. Chris Murphy was among the most emphatic, claiming that “the majority of the attendees tonight will be foreign nationals,” citing national security risks, with possible connections to oligarchs, sanctioned individuals and even groups hostile to the United States. He reinforced the request for the names of the guests to be released immediately.

“Donald Trump's dinner is an orgy of corruption. That's what this is all about. We are here today to talk about exactly one topic: corruption. . . Donald Trump is using the presidency of the United States to make himself rich through crypto.”

—Erin Drumm (@thedrummbeats) May 22, 2025

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Along with Murphy, other Democratic figures such as Elizabeth Warren, Jeff Merkley and Richard Blumenthal, as well as Representative Sam Riccardo, expressed strong opposition to what they called “orgies of corruption” linked to cryptocurrencies.

Warren stressed that the dinner would be “a private celebration for the major buyers of Trump’s meme coin,” noting that figures linked to the crypto sector now hold strategic positions in the government.

The senator specifically mentioned Justin Sun, founder of Tron, who was involved in Trump's cryptocurrency initiatives shortly after the SEC filed a lawsuit against his company. She also cited connections with names such as Howard Lutnick and David Sacks, who are linked to the cryptocurrency industry and have influence in the current Republican administration.

Despite these allegations, the Democratic Party is divided on its relationship with cryptocurrencies. The recent passage of the GENIUS Act was supported by 16 Democratic senators, revealing a pro-crypto wing within the party.

Senator Blumenthal stressed that those involved in the TRUMP token want more than symbolic rewards. According to him, many of these investors seek direct access to political power and defend their own interests in exchange for financial support, which could violate the emoluments clause of the Constitution.