$TRUMP Cryptocurrency Used for White House Gala Access Raises Ethics Concerns
CNN's Scott Jennings expressed discomfort with President Trump's cryptocurrency, $TRUMP, being used to give VIP access to private White House galas for top investors who purchase the digital currency.
The coin, launched in January 2023 with a value of around $44, has lost significant value, currently trading at $2. An investor who purchased $10,000 worth of $TRUMP in January 2023 would currently be holding an asset worth less than $700.
The top 29 investors of $TRUMP are being invited to a VIP reception at the Trump National Golf Club in Virginia on November 22, where they will have access to three unnamed VIPs and receive an 18-karat gold Trump watch. Jennings admitted that the idea 'makes [him] uncomfortable' because people could get hurt.
Abby Phillip pointed out that the event is being branded as 'the most exclusive dinner in the world' and that Trump has made over $1 billion in crypto ventures in 2025, according to his annual financial disclosure.