In a recent interview with NBC,the U.S. President Donald Trump has offered conflicting statements on whether he has financially benefited from Official Trump (TRUMP), the memecoin launched just days before his return to the White House in January.
In the interview, Trump was trying to address the criticisms that he is using the presidency to profit from crypto ventures. When he was asked if the memecoin has enriched him, he answered
“I’m not profiting from anything,”
When he was repeatedly questioned if he was really not earning profit from cryptocurrency at all, he answered
"I haven't even looked. 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."
Trump memecoin launched days before his inauguration
Trump’s Official Trump (TRUMP) token launched on January 17 and spiked to a peak of $73.43 just two days later—only one day before his January 20 inauguration, according to CoinGecko.
But the memecoin experienced a resurgence last month, after President Trump announced it would be offering top holders a chance to dine with Trump on May 22.
The token is currently trading at $11.35, down nearly 85% from its peak. But it seems that Trump was unaware of his token's recent surge, repeatedly asking how much it was worth now.
Two entities—CIC Digital LLC, affiliated with the Trump Organization, and Fight Fight Fight LLC, co-owned by CIC Digital—collectively control 80% of the TRUMP token’s 1 billion supply. Most of these tokens are currently locked and will gradually unlock over the next three years.
The first unlock occurred on April 18, when CIC Digital received 40 million tokens worth approximately \$454 million.
Project Has Already Generated Hundreds of Millions
The Financial Times claims that the project has generated at least $350 million so far, with $314 million coming from token sales and $36 million earned from transaction fees.
The president has faced growing criticism for his involvement in crypto, with opponents citing a potential conflict of interest—especially as he promotes looser regulations for the sector.
Even some Republicans, including Senators Cynthia Lummis and Lisa Murkowski, have taken aim at Trump’s offer to host a dinner for top token holders.
During the interview, Trump reiterated his practice of donating his presidential salary back to the government. But when he was asked if he would also donate any crypto-related gains, Trump seemed hesitant and said
"I never thought of that. I mean, 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."
Doubling Down on Crypto Advocacy
Trump also used the interview to reaffirm his support for the crypto industry.
"I want crypto. I think crypto's important because if we don't do it, China's going to. And it's new, it's very popular, it's very hot."
He accused former President Joe Biden of initially cracking down on crypto but softening his stance in a bid to attract pro-crypto voters.
Biden did not run against Trump in the last election. He instead passed the baton to the Vice-President Kamala Harris.
On May 4, speaking to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House, Trump reiterated his position.
CBS News’ Jennifer Jacobs reported via X that Trump said, “Crypto is very important,” and emphasized his intention to “keep it away from China.”
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