$TRUMP Dinner Competition Sparks Backlash from Disillusioned Investors

Disillusioned with Donald Trump's crypto ventures, some investors are questioning what they gained from backing the president and his memecoin, $TRUMP. A new dinner competition promises rewards for holding more tokens for longer, but some previous supporters are disappointed with the project's outcomes. The Washington Post reports that several investors, including Nick Pinto, who described the project as a 'rug pull,' are disillusioned with Trump's crypto ventures. Pinto had attended a previous token-holder dinner, but was left unimpressed by Trump's brief appearance and lack of interaction. Others, like Carl Runefelt, known as 'the Moon,' and Morten Christensen, had expected Trump's presidency to deliver stronger gains for crypto holders. The complaints come as the $TRUMP project offers a new leaderboard that rewards participants for maintaining their $TRUMP holdings through a scoring window running from September 30 to November 12. The top 185 qualifying holders can receive dinner invitations, with the top 29 qualifying for a VIP reception and the top four receiving an 18-karat Trump-branded gold watch. However, dropping below the required balance can result in losing VIP bonuses, although the dinner invitation remains available. Trump's crypto fans are being enticed by another gala, but some are questioning the value of their investment. The complaints carry additional weight against estimates of the money Trump has earned from the sector, with Public Citizen reporting that he made at least $1.4 billion from crypto-related ventures in 2025, while investors were estimated to be $4.7 billion underwater across several associated projects.