President Embraces Token as Political Indicator Despite 85% Price Drop From Peak

U.S. President Donald Trump has signaled tacit support for the idea that his official TRUMP memecoin can serve as a gauge of public sentiment surrounding his leadership. The comment came via Truth Social, where Trump reposted a Newsmax article describing the token as a metric for political momentum — a notion increasingly echoed by figures in the crypto space.

But while Trump appears to welcome the token’s symbolic value, the market performance of TRUMP tells a more complex story. The memecoin is currently down 85% from its all-time high, and a $520 million token unlock scheduled for July 18 may test the token’s market resilience — and investor sentiment — even further.

TRUMP Token Down 85% Since January Peak

As of writing, the TRUMP memecoin is trading around $10, significantly below its January 2025 high of $73. Despite being championed by supporters and closely tied to Trump’s crypto-centric messaging, the token has struggled to maintain its value amid a broader memecoin market cooldown.

If the coin is being positioned as a reflection of public enthusiasm or political strength, its recent price trajectory may suggest waning speculative appetite — or, at minimum, a market awaiting stronger signals before re-entering.

$520M Unlock Set for July 18

Adding to market anxiety is a scheduled token unlock on July 18, when 50 million TRUMP tokens are expected to be released into circulation. Based on current valuations, that unlock represents more than $520 million worth of assets.

According to Tokenomist (formerly Token Unlocks):

• Only 26.48% of the TRUMP token’s total supply is currently circulating

• Roughly 73.52%, or 735 million tokens, remain locked

• The July unlock will expand the current circulating supply by 25%

Such a large influx of tokens — unless matched by proportional demand — could exert further downward pressure on the token’s price.

Eric Trump Attempts to Calm Markets

On June 7, Trump’s son Eric Trump stepped in to bolster confidence, announcing that World Liberty Financial (WLF) — a Trump-affiliated crypto firm — planned to acquire a “substantial amount” of TRUMP tokens.

Despite the announcement, the token’s price remained largely unchanged, prompting analysts to describe the muted reaction as “not a good sign.” It suggested that the market may already be pricing in the unlock — or that investor enthusiasm is being tempered by broader macro or regulatory concerns.

Memecoins as Public Sentiment Tools

The idea of using memecoins as a barometer of public opinion is not new, but the concept is gaining traction in the context of politics.

Yat Siu, co-founder of Animoca Brands, previously told Cointelegraph that TRUMP’s initial price surge was driven by hype and novelty, but that its long-term viability might depend on its ability to reflect genuine public support or political momentum.

“In the long run, a token like TRUMP could reflect broader attitudes toward [Trump’s] presidency,” Siu said, framing the coin as part of a larger trend of “political tokenization.”

In the same way that campaign donations or polling data are used to measure public alignment, token performance — particularly for politically linked assets — could act as a real-time market signal of voter sentiment.

Can the Market Absorb the Unlock?

Whether or not the market can absorb the upcoming $520 million unlock will likely serve as a key test of both the token’s economic design and its value as a sentiment indicator.

If the price holds — or recovers — after the unlock, it may signal renewed investor interest or confidence in Trump’s broader political narrative. If, however, the market reacts with a sharp sell-off, it could reflect growing skepticism toward the token or the legitimacy of its role in gauging public opinion.

A Memecoin Presidency?

Trump’s close alignment with crypto, including NFT collections, stablecoin discussions, and now a presidential memecoin, has made him one of the most crypto-visible world leaders in history.

His administration has already:

• Supported crypto ETFs and trading infrastructure

• Rolled back regulatory barriers to bank participation in digital assets

• Proposed building a strategic Bitcoin reserve

These developments, paired with his embrace of political tokens, suggest that Web3 engagement may play an increasingly prominent role in future campaign strategies and governance narratives.

Conclusion

As the TRUMP memecoin trades near multi-month lows and approaches a $520 million unlock, the asset’s performance is likely to be closely watched — not just by crypto investors, but by political analysts, campaign strategists, and perhaps even pollsters.

Whether it succeeds as a sentiment gauge, financial instrument, or political novelty, the TRUMP token represents a new frontier in the merging of crypto and politics — and its next major test is just weeks away.