Trump Faces Legal Scrutiny After $TRUMP Meme Coin Dinner

Trump Hosts Crypto Dinner With Chinese Billionaire Facing SEC Lawsuit, Clarence Thomas’s Lawyer, and NBA Star

President Trump held a private dinner Thursday for major investors in his $TRUMP meme coin at his Virginia golf club, attended by high-profile and controversial figures including Chinese crypto billionaire Justin Sun—who is facing a U.S. SEC lawsuit—Justice Clarence Thomas’s lawyer, and ex-NBA player Lamar Odom. The guest list, not made public beforehand, was tied to crypto wallet pseudonyms and revealed only upon arrival. The event blurred the line between Trump’s personal business ventures and public office, with some attendees receiving V.I.P. access and even touring the White House. The gathering sparked ethical concerns over foreign influence and presidential profiteering.

Trump Faces Legal Scrutiny After Using Presidential Seal at $TRUMP Meme Coin Investor Dinner

At a private dinner for top investors of his $TRUMP meme coin, President Donald Trump spoke from a lectern displaying the presidential seal—potentially violating a federal law that prohibits using the seal in ways that imply government endorsement. Held at Trump National Golf Club, the event featured high-profile guests like Justin Sun and Lamar Odom. Critics, including Sen. Chris Murphy, raised concerns about foreign influence, given the presence of wealthy international investors. The White House distanced itself from the event, emphasizing it was personal. Trump’s $TRUMP coin has seen sharp declines since its launch, and scrutiny over the seal’s use adds to growing legal and ethical questions.

Trump-Linked Crypto Firm and Binance Deny Claims of Foreign Deal-Making and “Fixer” Role

World Liberty Financial and Binance pushed back Friday against a Wall Street Journal report suggesting Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) helped facilitate foreign connections for the Trump-linked DeFi platform. Zak Folkman, co-founder of World Liberty Financial, called the claims “laughable,” denying any fixer role by Zhao, while both firms emphasized Zhao’s general industry relationships rather than direct involvement. Zhao fired back on X, calling the article a smear campaign potentially funded by a rival VC. The controversy comes amid heightened scrutiny over ties between Trump’s crypto ventures and global players, especially as Zhao recently sought a pardon from President Trump following his 2023 conviction and Binance’s record-breaking $4.3 billion settlement.

Over $400 Billion in Institutional Bitcoin and Ethereum Inflows Projected by 2026 Amid Strategic Shift

A new forecast projects that more than $400 billion in institutional capital will flow into Bitcoin—and to a growing extent, Ethereum—by the end of 2026. The report highlights a strategic shift as public companies, sovereign wealth funds, and wealth managers increasingly allocate to crypto assets not for speculation, but as long-term reserves and balance sheet anchors. Over 4.2 million BTC are expected to be acquired, alongside rising institutional exposure to ETH as Ethereum-based financial infrastructure matures. Key drivers include legislative momentum, corporate treasury adoption, state and national reserve strategies, and the rise of crypto-native yield strategies. The proposed federal acquisition of 1 million BTC could further stabilize markets, while Ethereum gains traction as an institutional-grade platform for decentralized finance and tokenization.

Resources:

Forbes

NYT