Activists Accuse Donald Trump of Legal Violations Over TRUMP Coin

The non-profit organization Public Citizen has called on the U.S. Department of Justice and the Office of Government Ethics to investigate the TRUMP meme coin associated with Donald Trump for potential violations of federal corruption laws.

Activists pointed out that while rules allow the head of state to receive “gifts,” they prohibit soliciting them or accepting them as payment for official actions.

According to Public Citizen’s letter, Trump’s promotion of his own token before and after the inauguration could constitute a violation of the clause against deliberately soliciting gifts for personal enrichment.

My NEW Official Trump Meme is HERE! It’s time to celebrate everything we stand for: WINNING! Join my very special Trump Community. GET YOUR $TRUMP NOW. Go to https://t.co/GX3ZxT5xyq — Have Fun! pic.twitter.com/flIKYyfBrC

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2025

The authors emphasized that the current U.S. president is the primary owner and beneficiary of the project through the affiliate The Trump Organization company CIC Digital LLC.

They noted that the tokens themselves “are not an investment tool or security,” according to the official TRUMP website. The buyer receives not a tangible product, but a “digital check,” making the procedure more akin to a donation with corresponding blockchain confirmation.

“It seems Trump is not asking for money in exchange for investments or a material product (such as a Bible, sneakers, or a guitar). He is asking for money in exchange for nothing — that is, he is asking for a gift that will bring him personal benefit,” the letter’s authors claim.

Representatives of Public Citizen also noted a potential violation of the constitutional clause regarding receiving money as a “gift” from foreign states.

In their view, interested parties could use TRUMP for covert fund transfers:

“Due to the nature of cryptocurrency exchanges, it is difficult to determine whether foreign state actors are gifting the president through the purchase of the TRUMP meme coin.”

In conclusion, the authors suggested that if Trump is allowed to “enrich himself in this manner,” other politicians might follow suit, rendering legislative restrictions “meaningless.”

Back in January, the ethics of the U.S. president’s cryptocurrency initiatives drew interest in Congress.