President Donald Trump has made conflicting statements regarding his financial involvement with the "Official Trump" (TRUMP) memecoin, raising ethical concerns about potential conflicts of interest during his presidency.

In a recent interview on NBC's "Meet the Press," Trump asserted that he is "not profiting from anything" related to the TRUMP token. However, when pressed further, he admitted, "I haven't even looked," suggesting a lack of clarity about his financial gains from the cryptocurrency. He added, "If I own stock in something and I do a good job, and the stock market goes up, I guess I'm profiting."

The TRUMP token, launched on January 17, 2025, peaked at $73.43 shortly after its debut but has since declined to approximately $11.35, marking an 85% drop. Despite this, the project has reportedly generated at least $350 million, with $314 million from token sales and $36 million from trading fees.

Trump-controlled entities own 80% of the TRUMP token supply, which will be released periodically until 2028. Source: Trump Meme

Two entities linked to Trump—CIC Digital LLC and Fight Fight Fight LLC—own 80% of the token's total supply. The tokens are scheduled to unlock over the next three years, with the first release of 40 million tokens, valued at $454 million, occurring on April 18.

AP News

Trump's involvement in the memecoin has drawn criticism from both parties. Republican Senators Cynthia Lummis and Lisa Murkowski have expressed concerns over a planned dinner for top TRUMP token holders, suggesting it blurs the line between political fundraising and personal gain.

Ethics experts warn that the president's promotion of a financial asset from which he stands to benefit could violate constitutional provisions against personal enrichment while in office. The lack of transparency and potential for foreign influence through anonymous token purchases further exacerbate these concerns.

As the debate over the intersection of politics and cryptocurrency continues, calls for clearer regulations and ethical guidelines are intensifying to address the unique challenges posed by digital assets in the political arena.