Trump's VIP dinner had at least 16 guests wearing Richard Mille watches, attendee claims

President Donald Trump hosted the VIP dinner for the top 220 holders of the TRUMP meme coin on May 22.

The much-publicized private event attracted significant media scrutiny due to the alleged conflict of interest arising from Trump's engagement with several crypto ventures, including the eponymous meme coin.

Several high-profile guests attended the black-tie dinner as a networking or promotional event.

Chinese-born crypto billionaire Justin Sun, who launched the TRON cryptocurrency, was the most high-profile guest who said Trump "awarded" him a Golden Tourbillon watch Sun bought TRUMP tokens worth $19 million, the most among all the guests, to attend the dinner.

Russian-born crypto entrepreneur Nikita Anufrieve told the Wall Street Journal, “This is a historical moment, when the 47th President, Donald Trump, performed a speech for us. You cannot compare it to any reward.” He said he spoke with more than 50 guests at the event.

Former NBA star Lamar Odom used the dinner to promote his own cryptocurrency, ODOM. It is a Solana-based anti-addiction-themed meme coin. Odom is well-known for his several appearances on the reality TV show "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" during his marriage to Khloé Kardashian from 2009 to 2016.

'Disappointed' with Trump

However, the experience left a bad taste in Nicholas Pinto's mouth Pinto, one of the 220 guests, told WSJ he bought the meme coin the day Trump released it.

“I am very disappointed that President Trump didn’t spend more time at the event. He was not interacting with us,” said Pinto, whose father drove him in a Lamborghini to Trump's golf club just outside Washington, DC, for the dinner.

Trump gave a speech for around 23 minutes and then left, Pinto told WSJ. “I wasn’t very impressed by the speech, to be honest." Trump's associate Bill Zanker, who helped him launch the meme coin, also delivered a speech at the event.

Pinto also complained that Trump didn’t talk to "any of the 220 guests — maybe the top 25,” CNBC reported.

“The food sucked,” Pinto said. “Wasn’t given any drinks other than water or Trump’s wine. I don’t drink, so I had water. My glass was only filled once.”

Pinto also underlined the not-so-subtle opulence at the dinner where Richard Mille watches "weren’t even rare.” Pinto said, “I saw at least 16 people wearing them Richard Mille is a Swiss luxury watch brand that creates high-priced clockwork watches.

Democrats decry 'corruption'

Tron founder Justin Sun's presence at the dinner stoked enough controversy.

Story ContinuesAs previously reported, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had sued him in March 2023 for selling unregistered securities.

After Trump won the presidential election in November 2024, Sun funneled $30 million into the Trump family-backed crypto venture, World Liberty Financial. Thereafter, the regulator, Tron, and Sun jointly urged the court in February 2025 to stop the proceedings.

The event drew intense criticism from the Democrat senators Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) said in an X post, "Trump's meme coin is designed to facilitate corruption." If it was a legit dinner, Trump would release the list of attendees, but since it's corrupt, the guest list is hidden, Murphy continued.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) called it "an orgy of corruption."

About 100 demonstrators showed up to protest the gala event, decrying, "America is not for sale."

Launched on Jan. 17, the TRUMP meme coin has slipped 20% since the dinner night and was trading at $12.73 at press time.

Trump's VIP dinner had at least 16 guests wearing Richard Mille watches, attendee claims first appeared on TheStreet on May 25, 2025

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