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5h ago

Trump Hosts Gala for $TRUMP Token Holders Amid Ethical and Legal Scrutiny

Top investors, including Tron founder Justin Sun, prepare to attend exclusive dinner as concerns grow over foreign influence and pay-to-play allegations.

Illustration by Noah HIckey/The Dispatch. (Photograph of President Trump. by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
FILE - Then Former President Donald Trump speaks at the Bitcoin 2024 Conference, July 27, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)
Justin Sun participates in a session during the Token 2049 crypto conference in Dubai on May 1, 2025.
Eric Trump, Executive VP of The Trump Organization, right, speaks as Co-founder of World Liberty Financial Zach Witkoff, centre, and Founder of TRON Justin Sun look on during Token 2049, a Crypto event, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Overview

  • President Trump will host a private gala dinner on May 22 for the top 220 holders of his $TRUMP meme coin at Trump National Golf Club in Virginia.
  • Justin Sun, founder of the Tron blockchain and the largest $TRUMP token holder with a $21.9 million stake, is confirmed to attend as a VIP guest.
  • Contest winners collectively spent $394 million on $TRUMP tokens to secure invitations, with spending per seat ranging from $55,000 to $37.7 million.
  • Critics, including Democratic lawmakers, have raised concerns about potential pay-to-play corruption, foreign influence, and conflicts of interest tied to the event.
  • Protests and ethics probes are planned ahead of the gala, with scrutiny further fueled by the Trump administration’s crypto-friendly policies and paused SEC actions.