U.S. President Donald Trump has offered mixed answers on whether he has earned money from the memecoin he launched earlier this year.
In an interview aired on May 4 with Kristen Welker of NBC News’ Meet the Press, Trump firmly stated he was “not profiting from anything” in response to questions about the Official Trump token, which went live just days before his return to the White House.
President Trump Denies Profiting from $TRUMP
When asked if he was making any money from the cryptocurrency, Trump replied that he hadn’t even looked at the coin’s performance.
“But I’ll tell you what. Look, if I own stock in something and I do a good job, and the stock market goes up, I guess I’m profiting,” he said. His comments seemed to blur the lines between direct involvement and incidental financial gain.
Background on the TRUMP Memecoin
Trump’s memecoin, simply named “Official Trump (TRUMP),” was launched on January 17. Within two days, it reached a peak value of $73.43. This high came just one day before Trump officially stepped back into the presidency on January 20.
The structure behind the coin’s ownership has also raised eyebrows. A significant portion of the token supply, around 80%, is held by wallets controlled by CIC Digital LLC and Fight Fight Fight LLC.
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These two entities are directly connected to Trump’s other ventures, including his NFT collections. The ownership setup has led to ongoing concerns over whether the President might benefit financially from the token’s market performance.
Dinner Invitation Sparks Criticism
More controversy followed when the White House announced that the top 220 holders of the TRUMP token would be invited to a private dinner with the president.
While some supporters welcomed the move, others, including members of Trump’s party, expressed concern.
Republican Senators Cynthia Lummis and Lisa Murkowski criticised the dinner invitation, suggesting it could be a conflict of interest. They raised questions about whether rewarding cryptocurrency investors with access to the president sends the wrong message at a time when the crypto industry is seeking less regulatory pressure from Washington.
Trump’s Defence and Broader Remarks
During the interview, Trump reiterated that he would be donating his presidential salary back to the government, a gesture he had also made during his previous term.
When asked if he would do the same with any profits from his crypto holdings, Trump said, “I never thought of that,” and added, “Should I contribute all of my real estate that I’ve owned for many years if it goes up a little bit because I’m president and doing a good job? I don’t think so.”
Later that day, while speaking to reporters on the White House South Lawn, Trump again addressed the crypto issue. According to CBS News reporter Jennifer Jacobs, Trump said that “crypto is very important,” and stressed his desire to “keep it away from China,” implying that part of his interest in the technology is tied to national strategy and independence.
A New Chapter in Presidential Business Ethics
As the line between personal ventures and public office becomes increasingly blurred, Trump’s involvement in digital assets has brought fresh debates over what counts as ethical conduct for a sitting president.
The memecoin’s timing, ownership structure, and related perks continue to attract attention, both from regulators and political opponents.
With crypto policy becoming a growing topic in national politics, how Trump navigates these concerns will be closely watched, not just by lawmakers, but by global markets too.
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