A few investors who spent vast amounts of money to attend President Donald Trump’s cryptocurrency dinner were left far from impressed with how the event unfolded.
Trump had already faced corruption allegations over the exclusive May 22 dinner, reserved for the top 220 buyers of his $TRUMP memecoin. Attendees at the event, held at Trump’s golf resort in Virginia, later expressed disappointment with what was meant to be a lavish occasion featuring the president.
“It was the worst food I’ve ever had at a Trump golf course,” crypto investor and TikTok personality Nicholas Pinto told Wired. “The only good thing was bread and butter.”
Another unnamed investor told Wired that the meal served at Trump’s private members club was “OK, but not top-class.”
Photos obtained by Wired, which have also gone viral online, showed that those who spent an average of over $1 million to attend were served a skimpy piece of halibut, a diminutive filet mignon, and a smattering of vegetables.
“The food sucked,” Pinto added to CNBC. “We weren’t given any drinks other than water or Trump’s wine. I don’t drink, so I had water. My glass was only filled once.”
Pinto, who said he spent an estimated $300,000 on $TRUMP to break into the top 220 investors, also complained that Trump only spent real time with the top-tier buyers of his memecoin, rather than engaging with the full guest list.
The 25 biggest $TRUMP investors were granted an “exclusive reception” and VIP tour of the White House before the dinner, according to the event’s website. Pinto claimed Trump spent most of his roughly 23-minute appearance with those major investors before leaving.
Trump didn’t even stick around to personally award the top four investors, and two others selected via raffle, with gem-encrusted Trump gold watches, Wired reported.
“Trump could have at least given the top people their watches himself,” Pinto told the magazine. “He didn’t.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Daily Beast.
The dinner has faced accusations of functioning as a pay for access event allowing foreign nationals and other vested interests to have Trump’s ear by financially benefiting him.
The event has also been condemned for its secret guest list, which was neither disclosed by the White House nor the organizers. Instead, attendee names have surfaced through press interviews.
Former Los Angeles Lakers forward and reality TV star Lamar Odom revealed he was among the top 220 $TRUMP investors by posting a video on social media entering the golf resort while also promoting his own $ODOM memecoin.
The event was met with lines of protesters, including Sen. Jeff Merkley, who called it the “Mount Everest of corruption.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the secrecy surrounding the event on May 22, telling reporters it was “not a White House dinner.” Leavitt also called it “absurd” to suggest the president used it to financially benefit himself while in office.
