Who Won a Seat at Trump’s Crypto Dinner?
By David A. Fahrenthold, Eric Lipton, David Yaffe-Bellany, Elena Shao, and Dylan Freedman
May 23, 2025
In an exclusive event held at Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia, former President Donald Trump welcomed a select group of individuals to a private dinner for customers of his cryptocurrency business on Thursday night. According to a guest list reviewed by The New York Times, the invitees included a notable mix of individuals, highlighting the intersection between politics, finance, and the burgeoning cryptocurrency market.
A Unique Guest List
Among the dinner guests was Justin Sun, a prominent Chinese billionaire currently embroiled in a lawsuit with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Sun has faced allegations of inflating the value of a cryptocurrency, making his attendance particularly noteworthy in the context of ongoing regulatory scrutiny. He is also known for being a major investor in a crypto venture linked to Trump’s business interests, namely World Liberty Financial.
The dinner was not only a gathering of cryptocurrency enthusiasts but also featured individuals with distinct backgrounds, including a lawyer for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and a former basketball star. The manner in which invitees were selected added an air of exclusivity to the affair, as attendees were primarily those within the top 220 holders of the $TRUMP memecoin, which is part of Trump’s growing cryptocurrency portfolio.
An Evening of Networking and Remarks
Trump used the occasion to deliver remarks that leveraged his political stature for financial gain—both for his cryptocurrency enterprise and his Virginia golf club, which generously hosted the event. The engagement was designed to cultivate relationships within the burgeoning crypto community while simultaneously boosting business for Trump’s properties.
Guests initially interacted virtually via their electronic wallets, identified only by pseudonyms linked to their cryptocurrency. Upon arrival, the digital attendees became part of the physical realm, as staff checked them in based on paper lists detailing their identities and contact information.
A Touch of Controversy
The gathering did not go unnoticed by the public, with some demonstrators present outside the golf club, signaling the polarized nature of Trump’s continued influence in American politics and business. Moreover, the fact that a dinner hosted by a former president featured individuals associated with legal controversies around cryptocurrencies raised questions about the ethics of such events.
A Peek Inside the White House
Following the dinner, select guests enjoyed an unofficial tour of the White House, further adding to the significance of the event in blending entertainment, finance, and political networking. Observers noted that the interplay between these elements points to the growing clout of cryptocurrencies within traditional political and financial frameworks.
Overall, Trump’s crypto dinner highlights the complex relationships forming at the nexus of politics and digital finance, including both the opportunities and challenges that such intersections present.
As the landscape of cryptocurrency continues to evolve, events like this will likely become a focal point for discussions about regulatory frameworks, financial strategies, and the future of digital currencies in America and beyond.
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