Trump Disavows Profits from TRUMP Token, Admits Project Influence
Donald Trump told NBC News he does not profit from the TRUMP token but admitted his actions and public profile have influenced its price.
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President Donald Trump, in an interview with NBC News, denied claims of profiting from the TRUMP memecoin. However, he effectively acknowledged that his actions likely contribute to the rising value of the assets he owns.
The Official Trump (TRUMP) token, launched on January 17, 2025, immediately surged in value. Later, it experienced another price spike in late April, driven by a series of marketing campaigns, including a private dinner offer with the president for the top 220 holders.
Contradictions in Trump’s Response
When host Kristen Welker asked, “So you’re not profiting off of the cryptocurrency at all?” Trump replied, “I’m not profiting from anything.”
He then added, “I haven’t even looked.” But within seconds, he qualified the statement: “If I own stock in something, and I do a good job, and the stock market goes up, I guess I’m profiting.”
Related: Trump Media Eyes Utility Token and Crypto Wallet Launch
Later in the interview, Trump said he had not considered returning any potential crypto-related profits to the government:
I mean, should I contribute all of my real estate that I’ve owned for many years if it goes up a little bit because I’m president and doing a good job? I don’t think so.
Launch Details and Ownership Structure
The Official Trump Token debuted on Solana with a total supply of 1 billion tokens. Notably, Notably, two entities control 80% of the total supply:
- CIC Digital LLC (an affiliate of the Trump Organization)
- Fight Fight Fight LLC
The first unlock—40 million tokens valued at approximately $454 million—occurred on April 18. The remaining allocations will vest gradually over the next three years.
The token initially surged to a high of $73.43 before plunging nearly 85%. As of this writing, TRUMP (listed on WhiteBIT) trades at around $11.50.
Related: Justin Sun Tops the List of Biggest TRUMP Holders!
Criticism and Trump’s Position
According to a recent analysis by the Financial Times, the Trump Token project has already generated an estimated $350 million in revenue:
- $314 million from the initial token sale
- $36 million from transaction fees
The TRUMP memecoin has faced bipartisan criticism, with both major U.S. political parties raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest. Even Republican Senators Cynthia Lummis and Lisa Murkowski condemned a planned dinner event for major token holders.
One day after his interview, former President Trump formally promoted the event on Truth Social. The dinner, aimed at top TRUMP token holders, is set to take place on May 22.
Democrat Jon Ossoff called the move grounds for impeachment, while Senator Elizabeth Warren submitted a formal request to the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, urging an investigation into potential violations.
Trump, for his part, has repeatedly said he supports the growth of cryptocurrency to ensure the U.S. maintains an edge over China in the digital asset space.
I want crypto. I think crypto’s important because if we don’t do it, China’s going to. And it’s new, it’s very popular, it’s very hot,
he said.
Related: Warren Demands SEC Release Information on WLFI, Investigating Trump Ties
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