November 17 2025
On Thursday will Donald Trump honoring over 200 of his top memecoin investors. Take Tron founder Justin Sun, who is clearly enjoying the attention the event brings. But let’s be honest: Not everyone is happy about the gathering. Democratic lawmakers and civil society groups have organized a series of protests and rallies to denounce the president’s crypto event as inherently corrupt.
Trump is hosting his guests at Trump National Golf Club in the Washington, D.C., area, where investors have lined their pockets to benefit the president's own businesses. While memecoin enthusiasts are welcomed inside the club, protesters will make their voices heard outside.
The backlash begins early in the afternoon outside the Capitol. At 12:45 p.m., Rep. Maxine Waters, the ranking Democratic member of the House Financial Services Committee, will gather with other lawmakers on the House steps. She is there to criticize Trump, accusing him of abusing his power and position to advance shady crypto ventures that benefit him and his family.
Not only will this be a serious indictment, but Waters is also introducing a new bill. This bill aims to block Trump’s memecoin and put a stop to his crypto corruption once and for all. While it seems unlikely that this legislation will have any chance of success in a Republican-majority Congress, it is a powerful statement of resistance and accountability. It would ban future presidents, vice presidents, members of Congress, and their families from engaging in similar crypto crimes.
Later that same day, at 14:30 p.m. ET, Senators Chris Murphy and Elizabeth Warren will be speaking to the press in no uncertain terms. Both senators are known for their critical stance on Trump’s crypto initiatives. Murphy has introduced his own bill, the Modern Emoluments and Malfeasance Enforcement (MEME) Act, which also aims to prevent federal officials from abusing their positions to profit from digital assets.
This gathering at the Capitol will also be graced by Senator Jeff Merkley, who will participate in a protest in the evening directly in front of Trump's golf club. The event, organized by progressive groups under the name Our Revolution, has the message "America is not for sale." They want to send a strong message against what they see as a blatant example of political access being for sale to the highest bidder.
While the guest list for the memecoin dinner has not yet been made public, analysis shows that the largest investors have spent millions for the privilege of sitting at Trump’s table. Critics point out that this anonymity is problematic, as it gives foreign buyers access to the president without any public knowledge.
The debate over Trump’s crypto ties has temporarily affected the progress of U.S. stablecoin legislation, which aims to set rules for domestic issuers. But good news: this week, the bill cleared a major procedural hurdle in the Senate.
Trump’s team has laid to rest the corruption allegations. White House official Bo Hines recently told the CoinDesk Consensus 2025 conference in Toronto that the Trump family’s crypto trading does not pose a conflict of interest and that they “have a right to participate in the capital markets.”
“It's like the proliferation of memes; sometimes reality gets in the way!”
The world of crypto remains in full swing, and the developments surrounding the president are causing heated discussions. This offers opportunities for new insights, and that is exactly what we at Block 9 focus on.
Why is Trump being criticized for his memecoin event?
Critics accuse him of corruption by using his power to financially benefit from crypto ventures linked to his name.
What does Maxine Waters' bill entail?
The bill aims to prevent presidential candidates and their families from engaging in crypto activities that create conflicts of interest.
How is Trump's team responding to the allegations?
Trump's team denies the allegations and says the Trump family's crypto initiatives pose no conflicts of interest.
Bitcoin (BTC)
Ethereum (ETH)
XRP (XRP)
