US House Speaker Dodges Questions on Trump’s Memecoin Dinner as Democrats Call for DOJ Probe
US House Speaker Mike Johnson has declined to address growing concerns over former President Donald Trump’s exclusive dinner for top holders of his TRUMP memecoin, avoiding questions about whether the attendee list should be made public amid Democratic calls for a Department of Justice investigation.
Speaking with CNN’s Jake Tapper on May 25, Johnson claimed to know “nothing” about the May 22 dinner event held at Trump National Golf Club in Virginia, where Trump hosted the top 220 holders of his TRUMP token.
“I don’t know anything about the dinner,” Johnson said. “I’ve been a little busy this week” working on a $1.6 trillion federal budget package.
When pressed on whether the guest list should be disclosed, Johnson did not answer directly, instead claiming that Trump is “the most transparent president in history” and “has nothing to hide.”
Democrats Demand Transparency, Cite Foreign Influence Concerns
More than 35 Democratic lawmakers have called for a full investigation into the dinner, citing potential violations of federal bribery laws and the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the US Constitution. The clause prohibits US presidents from accepting gifts or payments from foreign entities without congressional approval.
Bloomberg reported on May 7 that the majority of the dinner attendees were likely foreign nationals.
Among the most high-profile guests was Justin Sun, the Chinese-born founder of Tron and the largest holder of the TRUMP token. Sun is also a key backer of the Trump family’s crypto venture, World Liberty Financial.
Other notable attendees included BitMart CEO Sheldon Xia, who posted photos from the event, and Australian entrepreneur Kain Warwick, who told The New York Times he had purchased enough TRUMP tokens to secure a spot among the top 25 holders and attend the dinner.
“An Orgy of Corruption” — Warren and Waters Slam Trump Crypto Ties
In a separate May 22 press conference, Senator Elizabeth Warren described the dinner as “an orgy of corruption” and urged the White House to release the full guest list.
That same day, Democratic Representative Maxine Waters introduced the Stop TRUMP in Crypto Act, which would bar Trump and his family from profiting off any crypto-related ventures while in office.
Waters claimed Trump had used “the power of the presidency to shamelessly promote and profit” from multiple crypto initiatives, including the TRUMP token, which she said had inflated Trump’s net worth by over $350 million, as well as the USD1 stablecoin issued by World Liberty Financial.
The bill is co-sponsored by 14 additional House Democrats, including Representatives Nydia Velázquez, Brad Sherman, and Gregory Meeks.
Conflict of Interest Questions Mount
Critics argue that Trump’s memecoin ventures and crypto-linked businesses present serious conflicts of interest as he seeks re-election. The fact that major foreign investors like Sun were invited to a private event tied directly to Trump’s digital asset holdings has raised alarms among watchdog groups and lawmakers alike.
While the White House has declined to publish the full attendee list, pressure is mounting for greater transparency as calls for an official probe into Trump’s crypto dealings grow louder on Capitol Hill.
