Trump facing scrutiny after speaking at private event for his $TRUMP memecoin while standing behind a lectern emblazoned with the official presidential seal

The event took place Thursday at Trump National Golf Club in Virginia, where Trump addressed 220 investors in his cryptocurrency project.

President Donald Trump is facing scrutiny after speaking at a private event for top investors in his $TRUMP memecoin while standing behind a lectern emblazoned with the official presidential seal — a move that may violate federal law.

The event took place Thursday at Trump National Golf Club in Virginia, where Trump addressed 220 investors in his cryptocurrency project, which is named after him and features his likeness. The presidential seal is a protected symbol that cannot be used in any manner that could imply government approval or sponsorship, according to US law. Violators can face fines or up to six months in prison.

Trump, who arrived at the club aboard a military helicopter and was seen mingling with guests, praised attendees and took aim at the Biden administration’s crypto stance.

When asked about potential conflicts of interest, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president’s involvement was personal. “It is not a White House dinner,” she told reporters. “It’s not taking place here at the White House.”

This isn’t the first time Trump has featured the presidential seal at his private properties. Forbes has previously reported its use as golf markers at several Trump-owned clubs.

In a May 22 letter to the Justice Department, 35 House members asked the public integrity section acting chief, Edward Sullivan, to launch an inquiry over the memecoin dinner to determine whether it violated the federal bribery statute or the foreign emoluments clause of the US Constitution.

According to the letter, obtained by Law360, the lawmakers urged Sullivan to delegate the investigation to the US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.

The emoluments clause bars a US president from accepting any gift from a foreign state without the approval of Congress, the lawmakers noted.

“A majority of the attendees at the dinner were likely foreign nationals based on their connections to crypto exchanges and their home countries,” wrote the lawmakers, in an open letter to the Justice Department.

“US law prohibits foreign persons from contributing to US 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 $TRUMP memecoin, launched earlier this year, hit a peak of $74.34 before falling to $14.44 by May 22.

High-profile guests at the dinner included Tron founder Justin Sun, ex-NBA player Lamar Odom, and Asian crypto executives Sangrok Oh and Vincent Liu.

Sun, who reportedly invested over $40 million in $TRUMP tokens and spoke at the dinner, also has deep ties to Trump’s crypto ventures. He’s the top backer of World Liberty Financial, a Trump-affiliated firm currently under regulatory scrutiny.