‘Pay to play corruption’ — Sen. Warren and Schiff blast Trump’s upcoming dinner with top coin holders

Key Takeaways

Senators Warren and Schiff are seeking an ethics investigation into Trump’s dinner with $TRUMP token holders.
$TRUMP token’s value surged by 50% following the announcement of the dinner with Trump.

Senators Elizabeth Warren and Adam Schiff are calling for an ethics probe into President Trump after the Official Trump project announced a private dinner with the president for major holders of the $TRUMP meme coin, according to a recent report from CNBC.

In a letter sent to the US Office of Government Ethics (OGE), the senators accused the offering of selling exclusive presidential access in exchange for financial investment, raising concerns about “pay to play” practices and potential personal enrichment for President Trump and his family.

“This latest action raises grave ethics and legal concerns, including the severe risk that President Trump and other officials may be engaging in ‘pay to play’ corruption by selling presidential access to individuals or entities, to include foreign nationals and corporate actors with vested interests in federal action, while personally enriching the President and his family,” according to the letter.

In urging the OGE to examine whether Trump violated federal ethics standards, Senators Warren and Schiff warned the arrangement could open the door to foreign nationals and corporate actors, some potentially under federal investigation, securing political access simply by investing in Trump’s crypto projects.

They also questioned whether Trump or his family had received any ethics guidance about profiting from digital assets while in office. They asked what safeguards, if any, exist to prevent individuals seeking political favors or pardons from using crypto investments to buy influence.

The exclusive dinner, unveiled on Wednesday, will be accessible to the top 220 wallet holders of the $TRUMP token. The event will take place on May 22 at Trump National Golf Club, with strict security measures, including background checks and wallet compliance verifications.

$TRUMP saw its value shoot over 70% following the promotion. The token is currently trading at around $14, down nearly 6% in the last seven days, according to TradingView data.

Senator Jon Ossoff, joining Warren and Schiff, is calling for Trump’s impeachment over the controversial $TRUMP coin dinner invitation.

Attempts are unlikely to succeed

With Republicans now controlling the White House and Congress, and the OGE director appointed by Trump himself, the senators’ demands for accountability are likely to be ignored.

Although the OGE can issue ethics recommendations, it lacks enforcement power over sitting presidents. In the past, it encouraged, but did not require, presidents to voluntarily adhere to ethical standards.

OGE may refer potential violations to the Department of Justice or Inspectors General for investigation and enforcement, but it cannot compel compliance.

Since launching in January, the $TRUMP meme coin has reportedly generated over $350 million in fees for entities connected to the president and his inner circle. The project’s website states that 80% of the token supply is held by the Trump Organization and affiliated entities.