Trump's Lavish Gala Dinner for Top Holders of the TRUMP Meme Coin Sparks Backlash

Donald Trump’s lavish gala dinner for top holders of the TRUMP meme coin has sparked a fierce backlash, with Democrats calling it an “orgy of corruption”

Donald Trump hosted a lavish gala dinner for top holders of the TRUMP meme coin, sparking backlash from Democrats who warned of foreign influence and pay-to-play risks.

The dinner, held at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, was attended by some of the biggest names in crypto, including TRON founder Justin Sun, the largest known holder of the token, Magic Eden CEO Jack Lu, and BitMart CEO Sheldon Xia.

Guests were served upscale dishes like filet mignon and molten lava cake, and received $100,000 Trump-branded watches, further fueling alarm over potential political favoritism and pay-for-access.

They were also treated to a special performance by rapper MC Balazs, known for his hit song “Ice Cream," and joined Trump for a dance to the Village People classic "Y.M.C.A." to round off the evening.

It is part of a broader pattern of Trump engaging with meme-stock and crypto enthusiasts. Earlier this year, Trump announced his candidacy for the 2024 presidency in a video that included footage of MAGA supporters and Trump’s own rallies, but also clips from a SpaceX launch and a SpaceX rocket landing.

The dinner was part of a fundraising effort for Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. Tickets to the dinner started at $250,000, and the most expensive tickets, which sold for $1 million each, guaranteed the buyer a personal meeting with Trump.

Democrats have demanded that the White House release the full list of guests at the dinner, and disclosed the nature of any contributions made by them to Trump’s campaign.

They also warned of the implications for national security if foreign donors contributed to the dinner in order to gain access to Trump.

Senator Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., called the event an “orgy of corruption.”

“The American people have no idea who is buying influence with the president of the United States, and what they might be receiving in return,” said. “It is an ethical outrage and a national security risk.”

Protesters also gathered at the Trump National Golf Club to to the dinner and display their grievances over the event.

They held signs that read ”America is not for sale,” and ”stop crypto corruption.”

Trump’s Lavish Dinner Raises Transparency Questions

Protesters outside the Trump National Golf Club on Monday. Credit: Ed Krassenstein via Twitter

The dinner was part of a broader fundraising effort for Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. Tickets to the dinner, which was catered by the Trump Organization, started at $250,000. The most expensive tickets, which sold for $1 million each, guaranteed the buyer a personal meeting with Trump.

According to a report by TheStreet, attendees at the dinner had invested an estimated $148 million into the TRUMP meme coin to earn their seats at the dinner, with more than $111 million of that from the biggest 25 buyers.

Investments in TRUMP by attendees at the dinner ranged from a high of $37.7 million to a low if $55,000, according to Nansen.

Those attending the dinner had invested an average of $667,000 each into the TRUMP meme coin to secure their place at the evening's events.

More than half of the 220 attendees at the dinner were from outside the U.S., which is likely to further the concerns of Democrats over foreign influence in the presidential election.

While the identities of many of the attendees are still unknown, Tron founder Justin Sun confirmed his attendance at the dinner on X, formerly Twitter.

Those in attendance were treated to upscale dishes like filet mignon and molten lava cake, and received $100,000 Trump-branded watches, according to the New York Magazine. They were also joined by rapper MC Balazs, known for his hit song “Ice Cream, for a special performance.

The guests were later joined by Trump for a dance to the Village People classic "Y.M.C.A." to round off the evening.

It is part of a broader pattern of Trump engaging with meme-stock and crypto enthusiasts. Earlier this year, Trump announced his candidacy for the 2024 presidency in a video that included footage of MAGA supporters and Trump’s own rallies, but also clips from a SpaceX launch and a SpaceX rocket landing.

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