Trump To Host Exclusive Gala For Top $TRUMP Holders — Fragrance, 18K Gold Watches And Memorabilia Promised

President Donald Trump will host an invitation-only gala for top holders of the $TRUMP meme coin on Nov. 22 at the Trump National Golf Club Washington, D.C., in Potomac Falls, Virginia. Organizers have billed the event as "the most exclusive dinner in the world" and say the token generated $635 million for Trump last year.

The private event will welcome 185 of the coin's largest investors. A leaderboard contest running from Sept. 30 through Nov. 12 will determine the top participants: the top 29 qualifying investors will be invited to a private reception featuring the president, while the top four will receive special 18K gold Trump watches.

Gifts, Prizes and Past Payouts

Attendees will receive branded items and memorabilia, including a TRUMP fragrance, a commemorative poster, a commemorative trading card and a 'Fight Fight Fight Trump' special watch. Organizers say the top four investors on the leaderboard will each be awarded a special 18K Gold Trump Watch.

At the first such gathering in May 2025, the top 25 buyers collectively spent more than $111 million and the four largest investors received limited-edition Trump Tourbillon watches reportedly valued at $100,000 each.

Ethics Concerns and Official Responses

Ethics watchdogs and some lawmakers say the events raise questions about whether supporters are buying the meme coin to gain influence with the president. In August, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) asked the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate the $TRUMP token, writing that they were concerned the scheme "may constitute an illegal scam" and urging scrutiny for potential "illegal fraud or unjust enrichment."

President Donald Trump participates in a midterm election rally for Oklahoma Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Mazzei at the Choctaw Event Center in Durant, Oklahoma, US, October 1, 2026.

The White House has rejected the notion that purchasing the coin amounts to buying access. A White House official said it is difficult to 'credibly characterize this as buying access' when organizers explicitly state no attendee will receive a private meet-and-greet with the president, and noted that previous attendees described themselves as 'crypto hobbyists and fans.' The official added there is 'no promise of official government action in exchange for attending.'

Financial Disclosures And Market Impact

Federal disclosures released June 30 by the U.S. Office of Government Ethics showed the president reported more than $1.4 billion in income tied to his family's cryptocurrency ventures in 2025, making digital assets the largest reported source of his earnings that year.

However, crypto analytics firm Nansen — cited by The New York Times — reported that nearly a million people who bought the $TRUMP token had suffered combined losses of about $3.81 billion through the end of June, illustrating the market volatility and risk faced by retail investors.

Origins And Reactions

The $TRUMP token debuted on Jan. 17, 2025, three days before the president's second-term inauguration. The following day, Mr. Trump posted on X: 'My NEW Official Trump Meme is HERE! It's time to celebrate everything we stand for: WINNING!'

Asked in August about a potential conflict of interest, Mr. Trump said he does not manage his personal finances directly: 'We have funds that run my money.'

Reporter: Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, White House correspondent for USA TODAY. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY.