Two rallies and two press events have been announced by Democratic lawmakers and advocacy organizations in advance of the May 22 memecoin gathering scheduled to be held at the U.S. president’s golf club.
Democratic-leaning organizations and members of Congress have announced plans to protest what they describe as the sale of access to the U.S. president, targeting Donald Trump’s upcoming memecoin dinner on May 22. Reports indicate that attendees collectively spent over $100 million for the opportunity to meet with the president.
Numerous U.S. lawmakers and crypto industry leaders have criticized the Official Trump (TRUMP) memecoin project after it announced that the top 220 tokenholders could apply for an exclusive dinner with the president. They condemned the event, warning that it could expose the presidential office to bribery and corruption.
Some Democratic lawmakers have withdrawn their support for crypto-related legislation in Congress, including the market structure and stablecoin bills, following the announcement of the memecoin dinner.
A spokesperson for the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, which plans to protest near the May 22 memecoin dinner, stated that “Trump collecting gifts from foreign governments is unconstitutional.” The spokesperson added that accepting investments from foreign governments through his memecoin is just as problematic, stressing that American foreign policy should not be for sale.
Tokenholders expected to attend the dinner at the Trump National Golf Club near Washington, DC, include notable crypto industry figures such as Tron founder Justin Sun, Kronos Research chief investment officer Vincent Liu, Hyperithm co-CEO Oh Sangrok, and Synthetix founder Kain Warwick. The memecoin project stated that it required all applicants to undergo a background check and prohibited participation from individuals originating from any “[Know Your Customer] watchlist country.”
Public Citizen, in collaboration with the progressive political group Our Revolution, will rally near the golf club, with Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley expected to attend. Additionally, the Arlington and Loudoun Democrats will host a separate gathering to urge U.S. officials to “hold [Trump] accountable.” Democratic leadership in Congress has also scheduled two press events on May 22, ahead of the memecoin dinner.
Ryan Ruzic, chair of the Loudoun County Democratic Committee, stated that “Americans will not accept President Trump’s belief that positions of power are solely for personal gain.” He further emphasized that a moral obligation exists to speak out against corruption, regardless of the potential consequences.
TRUMP Memecoin Backlash Sparks Disruption in Crypto Lawmaking
Some lawmakers initially opposed the passage of the GENIUS Act—a bill aimed at regulating payment stablecoins—by citing the memecoin dinner and the Trump family’s connections to the crypto firm World Liberty Financial. The company’s issuance of its own USD1 stablecoin in March raised concerns over potential conflicts of interest involving Trump. Nevertheless, the legislation advanced with Democratic support by passing a crucial procedural vote in the Senate on May 19, positioning it for formal debate in the chamber.
Senator Mark Warner stated before the May 19 vote that many senators, including himself, hold serious concerns about the Trump family’s use of crypto technologies to bypass oversight, hide questionable financial activities, and pursue personal profit at the expense of everyday Americans. He added, however, that such corruption must not prevent recognition of a broader truth: blockchain technology is here to stay.
Senator Chris Murphy opposed the GENIUS Act and called for bipartisan efforts to revise the bill by including provisions that explicitly ban a U.S. president from issuing stablecoins. He also urged the White House to release the full list of memecoin dinner attendees, suggesting that some or all participants might seek favors from the president in exchange for their token purchases.
Senators Chris Murphy and Elizabeth Warren will join representatives from Public Citizen at a press event on May 22. That same day, California Representative Maxine Waters, ranking member of the U.S. House Financial Services Committee, will hold a separate press conference to introduce a bill designed to block Trump’s memecoin and end his crypto-related corruption.
By May 21, organizers had not disclosed the total number of individuals attending the dinner. A select group of 25 tokenholders had qualified to apply for a “VIP tour” and reception, presumably set to take place at the White House with former President Trump. However, the full list of expected participants remained undisclosed at the time of reporting.
