Tron Founder Justin Sun Shrugs Off Claims That the TRUMP Memecoin Amounts to a Crypto Bribe

Speaking after a private dinner with Donald Trump, Tron founder Justin Sun shrugged off claims that the TRUMP memecoin amounts to a crypto bribe

Tron founder Justin Sun brushed off claims that a Trump memecoin amounts to a crypto bribe, calling the backlash “short-sighted” and accusing critics of missing the bigger picture.

Speaking after a private dinner with Donald Trump, Sun shrugged off a report by The Independent that TRUMP tokens were given to major crypto holders in exchange for support for the former president’s crypto policies.

Instead, he hailed Trump’s open embrace of digital assets as a much-needed jolt for U.S. crypto policy, contrasting it with what he described as the Biden-era clampdown that drove projects and personnel overseas.

“This is one of the best moves President Trump has made, and I think it’s really positive for the industry,” Sun told CoinDesk in an exclusive interview.

The setting was far from ordinary. A Trump-hosted dinner for major holders of his own TRUMP token, attended by crypto luminaries and met with protesters outside. But for Sun, who once represented Grenada at the WTO while dodging U.S. legal heat himself under the previous administration, it was a clear sign of how much the climate has changed.

Since Trump’s return to office, the Securities and Exchange Commission has hit pause on several cases, including a civil fraud lawsuit against Sun and Binance. Meanwhile, rumors of a Tron ETF are gaining traction, suggesting that Washington’s once-hostile stance may be softening.

Still, it’s not all clear skies. Just last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Department of Justice has been probing Sun since 2021, a reminder that federal scrutiny hasn't disappeared, even if the tone has changed.

Sun’s alignment with Trump’s crypto efforts began last year, when he reportedly scooped up as much as $75 million in World Liberty Financial tokens following the election. Since then, he’s doubled down on memecoins, arguing that they’ve done more than most to bring new users into the fold.

But Trump’s foray into meme tokens has drawn fierce pushback from mainstream media and watchdog groups, some of whom tried to link the project to far-right elements. Sun waved off those attacks.

“People are free to say what they want. That’s the First Amendment,” he said.

Even within the crypto space, there’s skepticism. At Consensus 2025, Barstool’s Dave Portnoy likened memecoins to gambling—and not necessarily in a negative way.

“It’s a Ponzi scheme,” Portnoy said, half-joking. “I don’t mean that negatively. It’s like, come on, people like FOMOing into memecoins, it’s funny.”

Sun sees it differently. In his view, tokens like DOGE and SHIB have already proven their staying power.

“It’s just like building any business. Some take off, some don’t. That’s the game, and we’re still playing it.”

And for now, Sun believes the game has returned to U.S. soil.

“At the dinner, people told me they were thinking of relocating to Hong Kong or Singapore because of Biden’s policies. Now they’re staying. Trump brought them back.”