Speaker Johnson Dodges Questions on Trump Meme Coin Dinner Amid DOJ Pressure

Speaker Johnson Dodges Questions on Trump Meme Coin Dinner Amid DOJ Pressure

On May 25, 2025, Speaker Johnson avoided discussions about President Trump’s cryptocurrency dinner and did not respond to transparency claims from lawmakers on the Democratic side. 

Through evasive replies, the House Speaker underlined how members of the political spectrum are becoming more divided over Trump’s crypto participation and its possible foreign influence.

Key-Takeaways:

  • Despite reports of foreigners being present, Johnson did not comment on the concerns surrounding Trump’s dinner with cryptocurrency experts.
  • Legislators supported an investigation into Donald Trump’s crypto businesses and introduced a bill to prevent him from earning income from cryptocurrencies.

Democrats Ask for Further Investigation of Trump’s Memecoin Event

Speaker Johnson Dodges Questions on Trump Meme Coin Dinner Amid DOJ Pressure

At the center of the controversy is Trump’s May 22 dinner at his Trump National Golf Club in Virginia, where he met with the top 220 holders of his Official Trump memecoin. When asked about the controversy, Johnson said he wasn’t aware of it as he was focused on getting the $1.6 trillion federal budget bill passed.

There are thirty-five House Democrats who are requesting that the Justice Department examine the dinner for any violation of federal laws and the Constitution’s foreign emoluments clause. Under the emoluments clause, the president may not receive gifts from foreign countries unless Congress gives its approval.

When asked by Tapper if the attendee list could be made public, Speaker Johnson replied, “I have no knowledge of the dinner.” I won’t talk about something I don’t know anything about. 

This answer was provided even as it became obvious that many in the crowd were from outside the country, including Tron head Justin Sun, who owned the majority of the TRUMP tokens.

A High Number of Foreigners at Crypto Panel Dinner

Speaker Johnson Dodges Questions on Trump Meme Coin Dinner Amid DOJ Pressure

The report from Bloomberg stated that most guests expected at the dinner were likely foreign nationals which could lead to constitutional concerns. Among the confirmed participants were Justin Sun and Sheldon Xia, who respectively own and lead the crypto-backed project World Liberty Financial and the exchange BitMart.

After investing in TRUMP and rising to be among the top 25, Australian crypto entrepreneur Kain Warwick made his participation public. Speaker Johnson claimed to have no knowledge about the participants or the event, even after the public information became available.

The Speaker Johnson made it obvious that he wanted to turn the discussion into partisan criticism by saying to Tapper, “I find it hard to imagine that if a Democratic president did the same thing, you’d still be angry.” Nevertheless, Speaker Johnson did not give detailed answers about the concerns regarding transparency.

Legislators Introduce Stop TRUMP in Crypto Act

Speaker Johnson Dodges Questions on Trump Meme Coin Dinner Amid DOJ Pressure

Led by Representative Maxine Waters, Democratic lawmakers submitted the “Stop TRUMP in Crypto Act” on May 22 to ensure the Trump family cannot earn from cryptocurrency during their time in office. Waters pointed out that Trump uses the role of president to push and gain profits from crypto investments.

Currently, 14 lawmakers from both parties have supported the legislation, like Representatives Nydia Velázquez, Brad Sherman and Gregory Meeks. Waters highlighted the TRUMP memecoin as a key factor, as it supposedly added $350 million to Trump’s earnings, as well as his support for the stablecoin USD1 issued by World Liberty Financial.

Senator Elizabeth Warren, who has spoken against cryptocurrencies, labeled Trump’s recent dinner as “an orgy of corruption” when she spoke at a press conference on May 22. As the Democratic party opposes cryptocurrency more often, it signals that many are starting to be worried about how politics and cryptocurrency connect.

Although he was questioned several times, Speaker Johnson would not say if the attendee list should be shared for transparency. Every time, he redirected accountability by saying Trump was the “most transparent president,” but refused to take meaningful actions to become more transparent.

The Speaker Johnson acting defensively represents a Republican goal to shield Trump from any oversight, with the Democrats bringing in legislation to counter them. When questioned about the right to release the dinner guest list, Speaker Johnson again said he did not know who had been there or what the meeting was for.

Conclusion

Speaker Johnson Dodges Questions on Trump Meme Coin Dinner Amid DOJ Pressure

Instead of being transparent, Speaker Johnson failed to engage with oversight, which makes it difficult for Congress to investigate foreign influence and presidential ethics.

What is your opinion on the Speaker avoiding answering questions about accountability? Share your opinions in the comments section.

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