As part of his ongoing outreach to the crypto community, U.S. President Donald Trump is making good on a major promise: dining with the top holders of his meme coin, Official Trump (TRUMP). The exclusive dinner is set for today, Thursday, May 22, and will take place at Trump National Golf Club in Potomac Falls, Virginia.
An Invitation for the Top 220 TRUMP Holders
According to emails obtained by Fortune, only the top 220 holders of the TRUMP token are invited to attend this high-profile event. Eligibility was determined by the average amount of TRUMP held in wallets between April 23 and May 12.
VIP Access for the Top 25
The top 25 TRUMP holders will receive additional perks, including a private reception with President Trump before dinner and a VIP tour of the venue. These elite guests have also been encouraged to stay in town following the event.
Event rules are strict: no guests are allowed, and each attendee must pass a background check. Individuals from countries on the KYC watchlist are barred from attending. Entry will begin at 5:30 p.m., with the dinner scheduled to run from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., and formal attire is mandatory. Once attendee information is submitted, no changes will be accepted.
Who’s Expected to Attend?
While the leaderboard on the Official Trump website shows only wallet addresses and pseudonyms, a few high-profile crypto figures have confirmed their attendance. Justin Sun, founder of the TRON blockchain and advisor to crypto exchange HTX, currently holds the top spot on the TRUMP leaderboard and has announced his participation.
The second-largest holder, Singapore-based MemeCore, will be sending its anonymous co-founder to the event. Meanwhile, Kain Warwick, the Australian founder of Infinex, will also attend despite not being in the top 25.
Interestingly, 18 of the top 25 holders have used Binance, the crypto exchange that doesn’t serve U.S. customers—suggesting many attendees may be international.
Market Reaction to the TRUMP Coin
In anticipation of the dinner, the TRUMP meme coin has seen a notable price increase. According to CoinMarketCap, TRUMP is up 7% daily and more than 23% over the past week, trading at around $15.40 at the time of writing. However, it’s still down about 80% from its January 19 all-time high of $75.
Controversy and Protest
The crypto-themed gala hasn’t escaped criticism. Some view Trump’s involvement in digital assets as ethically questionable. Robert Weissman, president of watchdog group Public Citizen, and Senator Jeff Merkley are leading a protest outside the venue, accusing the former president’s crypto ventures of being a form of corruption.
