Dozens of the world’s wealthiest cryptocurrency traders gathered Thursday night for an exclusive black-tie dinner with President Donald Trump. This came after a months-long $TRUMP token contest that drew $148 million in global purchases. Moreover, there was also a fierce backlash from Democratic lawmakers.
The dinner was held at Trump National Golf Club in Potomac Falls, Virginia. It provided the top 220 holders of the TRUMP coin with a seat at the table with the sitting president. The campaign touted the event as “the most exclusive invitation in the world,” marking an unprecedented combination of politics and crypto.
Crypto Gamble for a Presidential Audience
Among the attendees was 25-year-old Nick Pinto. He is a marketing director at a New Jersey law firm who spent $500,000 to earn his seat. “Once I saw the announcement that Trump was releasing a coin, I immediately started to purchase it,” Pinto said. His investment earned him the 72nd spot on the contest leaderboard.
Other contestants, like “GAnt,” lost a huge amount of money to reach the top of the leaderboard. For example, “GAnt” lost over $1.06 million to be ranked fourth.
While attendees like Pinto cleared background checks and followed formal protocols, many top-ranking wallets appear to be anonymous. According to data reviewed by blockchain analytics firm Inca Digital, at least 19 of the top 25 wallets are “almost certainly” controlled by non-U.S. citizens.
Democrats Call It ‘an Orgy of Corruption’
The event led to intense criticism on Capitol Hill, particularly from Democrats, who say the dinner is a glaring example of “pay-to-play” politics.
Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) labeled the gathering “an orgy of corruption,” accusing Trump of using the presidency as a platform to enrich himself. “He’s not just accepting donations anymore,” Warren said in a press release. “He’s auctioning off his influence through a token.”
This week, Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) introduced legislation that would ban sitting presidents from profiting off meme coins while in office. “Just because the corruption is happening out in the open doesn’t make it any less corrosive,” Murphy said during a Thursday press conference. “This may be the most corrupt event of all.”
READ MORE: Best Crypto to Buy Now as Bitcoin (BTC) Marks New $110K+ ATH
The White House, for its part, rejected these claims. “The president is working to secure good deals for the American people, not for himself,” said deputy press secretary Anna Kelly. “He only acts in the best interests of the American public.”
Massive Haul, Massive Profits, But for Whom?
Launched ahead of Trump’s January inauguration, the $TRUMP token rocketed to a $15 billion market cap before reducing to its current valuation of around $2.1 billion. Despite the volatility, insiders have profited handsomely. Chainalysis estimates more than $5.2 billion in profits have gone to top wallets. On the other hand, over 590,000 retail traders collectively lost nearly $4 billion.
Blockchain data also shows over $324 million in transaction fees flowed to wallets tied to the token’s creators. The token’s smart contract design siphons a fee from every trade. It allows the project team, reportedly including entities within the Trump Organization, to profit from daily trading activity. According to Inca Digital, 75% of all proceeds from Trump’s broader crypto venture, World Liberty Financial, have gone directly to the Trump family and affiliated entities.
One notable guest at the dinner was Justin Sun, the Chinese-born founder of the TRON blockchain. He declared himself the contest’s top investor. Sun’s $TRUMP holdings are valued at over $20 million. He was also an early backer of the Trump family’s WLFI token, to the tune of $75 million. Sun remains under federal investigation in the US for alleged securities fraud.
The contest leaderboard rewarded early buyers like Pinto over larger late-stage investors. Notably, some U.S. participants failed to secure a spot despite sizable contributions. Houston-based Freight Technologies, for example, invested $2 million in $TRUMP. However, it was placed 250th, outside the cutoff.
The $TRUMP token dinner highlights just how far meme coins have come, from internet jokes to political power plays involving billions in capital. With retail investors, whales, and even world leaders now engaged in the meme coin space, the next breakout opportunity could be just around the corner. That’s where our presale comes in—offering a fresh start, transparent tokenomics, and a real chance to catch the next wave before it goes parabolic.
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Top Crypto to Buy Today
Bitcoin Pepe (BPEP) is a fast-rising meme coin project that’s quickly gaining traction among crypto investors. As the first meme ICO launched on the Bitcoin layer, Bitcoin Pepe sets itself apart from typical meme tokens. It introduces PEP-20, a new token standard designed to enable greater utility and scalability on the Bitcoin blockchain, much like ERC-20 did for Ethereum.
At its foundation, Bitcoin Pepe’s ecosystem is built to deliver high-speed transactions comparable to networks like Solana. This is all while harnessing Bitcoin’s long-standing reputation as a secure and decentralized store of value. The vision behind BPEP is to transform meme coins from mere speculative assets into meaningful players within DeFi, NFTs, and Web3 gaming.
The project has already secured over 10 strategic partnerships. These include BETV for NFT content, CATAMOTO for fair token launches, and GETE for enabling cross-chain gaming. It’s also collaborating with Crypto Hunters to support AR/AI-based experiences and with Plena Finance to power dApps and smart contracts — all contributing to a meme-focused DEX and NFT marketplace.
With staking rewards already sold out and the presale ending on May 31, 2025, Bitcoin Pepe is clearly gaining momentum. As it moves toward its upcoming CEX listing, BPEP’s growing ecosystem and strategic alliances signal a bold mission: to bring Solana’s meme economy’s speed, energy, and community-driven nature to the Bitcoin network.
