Top Crypto Investors Felt Shortchanged at Trump’s Private Dinner, While Some Worry About Conflicts of Interest

US President Donald Trump’s much-hyped “exclusive” crypto dinner on May 22 at his Northern Virginia golf club is facing intense criticism

May 25, 2025 — US President Donald Trump's hyped-up “exclusive” crypto dinner at his Northern Virginia golf club on May 22 is drawing criticism from attendees and even some pro-Trump figures, who are complaining about the food and an abundance of Trump-branded wine.

About 220 top crypto investors were invited to the dinner, with the top 25 receiving a private reception and the top four given $100,000 crypto-themed watches. While Trump described the evening as "good, very good" upon his return to the White House, attendees like 25-year-old Nicholas Pinto had a different take.

"The food sucked," Pinto told CNBC. "No drinks except water and Trump’s wine, and security was lax." He added that Trump didn’t mingle much—only greeting the top 25 and leaving soon after his brief speech to take a helicopter back.

Pinto also said that guests' phones weren't even secured in RFID pouches, and that most attendees were focused on the $TRUMP coin's price movements. As of May 23, the coin had dropped to $12.77 from its pre-dinner high of $16.

The dinner has also sparked debate within the crypto industry, with pro-Trump figures like Nic Carter of Castle Island Ventures calling it "distasteful and an unnecessary distraction."

"We would much rather that he passes common sense legislation and leave it at that," Carter added in an interview with AP.

Moreover, concerns have been raised about Trump's financial interests eclipsing broader policy discussions. James Thurber, a corruption researcher at American University, told AP: "He’s becoming a salesman-in-chief. It allows for huge conflicts of interest."

Connecticut Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal stated that the dinner "in effect, puts a 'for sale' sign on the White House," transforming it into a platform to auction off access.

This isn't the first time Trump has pushed crypto-related policies. Since assuming office, he's signed executive orders supporting the industry and even convened a cryptocurrency summit at the White House in March. But as this dinner's backlash shows, even among his supporters, there are worries about the merging of his personal business ventures and national policy.