Trump crypto comments drew fresh attention after Donald Trump told $TRUMP meme coin holders at Mar-a-Lago that the crypto industry was created in America.
The statement came during a Saturday event tied to wallet rankings, VIP access, and branded rewards for top holders. It also arrived as $TRUMP traded near $2.59, down 14% over the past 24 hours and well below its record above $70.
Trump Addresses Holders as Token Falls
Trump spoke for about 45 minutes before a crowd of leading $TRUMP holders at his Florida club. During the speech, he said the crypto industry was invented in America and argued that its future would remain linked to the United States and other countries.
The claim drew criticism because Bitcoin was introduced by the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto, whose identity and nationality remain unknown.
The event drew more attention because $TRUMP has lost most of its value since its post-inauguration surge in January 2025.
CoinGecko data cited in the report showed the token was trading near $2.56 on Saturday afternoon, down 10.4% over 24 hours.
The same token had reached above $70 after its launch rally, then dropped to about $15 by May 2025.
Ethics Concerns Follow VIP Access
The Mar-a-Lago gathering was linked to rankings of major $TRUMP wallets. The 29 largest holders were invited to a VIP reception with Trump, according to the report.
Guests also reportedly received Trump-branded fragrances, posters, trading cards, and watches, although the official event site said there would be no private meetings with Trump and no gifts would be accepted.
The guest list reportedly included Cathie Wood, Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino, Tony Robbins, and Mike Tyson.
During the eligibility window for the event, $TRUMP generated $1.35 billion in trading volume, based on Nansen data cited in the report.
Critics said the setup raised ethics questions because Trump linked entities still earn fees from trades involving the meme coin.
Justin Sun Dispute Adds Pressure
The event also unfolded during a legal dispute involving Justin Sun and World Liberty Financial, the Trump family-linked crypto project.
Sun, described as the largest known public investor in $TRUMP, sued the project after his WLFI tokens were frozen.
He accused the team of criminal extortion and said the freeze followed his refusal to invest more money.
Sun said he remained supportive of the Trump administration’s crypto policy but blamed World Liberty staff for actions he said opposed Trump’s values.
He claimed the team removed his voting rights and threatened to burn his tokens. The dispute has gained support from parts of the crypto community, while Sun and Eric Trump have exchanged public remarks on X.
