TRUMP Memecoin Gala Dinner Draws Protests: What Happened

On May 22, Donald Trump hosted a private dinner for roughly 220 of the top $TRUMP memecoin holders at Trump National Golf Club near Washington. However, the event was met with a wave of protest. Around 100 demonstrators gathered outside the venue, chanting slogans and holding signs reading “Stop Crypto Corruption.”

Inside the Dinner: Key Guests and Format

To attend the dinner, $TRUMP holders had to register on an online leaderboard that tracked their average holdings over three weeks. The top 220 participants received invitations, while the top 25 gained access to a private reception with the president and, according to the project’s website, a guided White House tour.

Among the attendees were Tron founder Justin Sun and former NBA star Lamar Odom. According to Bloomberg, one attendee, Morten Christensen of AirdropAlert.com, earned his spot with just $1,200.

Related: Justin Sun Tops the List of Biggest TRUMP Holders!

The venue featured posters reading “Fight Fight Fight,” an homage to the company behind the memecoin. Guests were served filet mignon, pan-seared halibut, and a vegetable medley.

The U.S.A. is DOMINATING in Crypto, Bitcoin, etc., and we are going to keep it that way!

Trump posted on Truth Social before heading to the event.

After Trump’s speech, dinner organizer Bill Zanker introduced Justin Sun, who delivered brief remarks encouraging the crypto industry to rally behind Trump in his fight against regulatory barriers.

Protests and Political Blowback

Protesters gathered ahead of the event, holding signs like “America is not for sale” and “Memecoin grifters go to jail,” according to Bloomberg. The demonstrators included members of advocacy groups such as Americans for Tax Fairness, Public Citizen, and Our Revolution, which previously condemned the event as political influence for sale.

The event also sparked sharp criticism from Democrats. Senator Elizabeth Warren described it as “an orgy of corruption,” while Senator Richard Blumenthal called it “unprecedented presidential crypto corruption” that warrants a formal investigation. Representative Adam Schiff voiced concern over foreigners allegedly buying access to the president.

Related: Congressional Rift Widens as Democrats Boycott Joint Crypto Hearing

On May 23, Representative Maxine Waters introduced the Stop TRUMP in Crypto Act of 2025, a bill that aims to prohibit the president, vice president, members of Congress, and their immediate families from owning or profiting from cryptocurrencies.

Investor Activity Following the TRUMP Dinner

Data from Solscan shows that most VIP investors exited their $TRUMP positions shortly after the holder leaderboard campaign concluded on May 12. Only eight of the top 25 wallets continue to hold the token, including one linked to Tron founder Justin Sun, who still holds approximately 1.4 million tokens (~$18.8 million).

Following the event, Sun posted on X, thanking Donald Trump for his continued backing of the crypto sector.

As a result, the mass sell-off intensified critics’ claims that the dinner functioned as a “pay-for-access” event. The price of the TRUMP memecoin dropped by roughly 15% from its daily high following the dinner, eventually dropping below the $13 mark.

Related: Trump Disavows Profits from TRUMP Token, Admits Project Influence