Lamar Odom, Donald Trump, theGrio.com
(Photo: Getty Images)

Signs of resistance outside the million-dollar dinner read, “America is Not for Sale,” “Stop Crypto Corruption,” “No Kings, No Corrupt Fool,” and “He Owns You Now.”

President Donald Trump and attendees of his average of $1.8 million-per-ticket crypto dinner were met with angry protesters outside the D.C. Trump National Golf Club on Thursday night amid accusations of Trump using the Office of the President to enrich himself. Retired NBA star Lamar Odom was among the 220 attendees who invested millions into Trump’s memecoin, a cryptocurrency, to secure a seat at the dinner. The coin earned a total of $148 million.

Odom was all smiles as protesters angrily shouted at him while entering Trump National. The former basketball player posted a video of his entrance on social media, writing, “I’m fired up.”

While investing in the $TRUMP meme coin earned him a seat at Donald Trump’s table, the former Los Angeles Lakers star used the opportunity to promote his own meme coin, $ODOM.

“Think about it—what meme coin has ever done this? $ODOM isn’t just a token, it’s taking the stage at a presidential gala tonight!” said Odom.

However, Trump’s crypto dinner drew more outrage than enthusiasm outside the world of wealthy investors like Odom, as evidenced by at least 100 protesters outside the president’s gold club, according to a White House press pool report. Signs of resistance read “America is Not for Sale,” “Stop Crypto Corruption,” “No Kings, No Corrupt Fool,” and “He Owns You Now.”

At least one attendee appeared underwhelmed at the dinner. The attendee, who posted images from inside the dinner from the X account @cryptoo_bear, wrote, “After giving a speech of just under 30 minutes, President Trump danced as he left the room.” The attendee added, “The initial explanation said that we would go around the tables and take commemorative photos at each table, but for some reason, that was no longer the case. That’s a bit disappointing.”

As theGrio previously reported, ethics experts, Democrats, and even some Republicans, say that while Trump’s crypto dinner may be legal, it is entirely unethical.

Trump’s dinner happened to also take place on the same day that Republicans advanced the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which is packed with many of the president’s budget and policy priorities, including major tax cuts that experts say will mostly benefit the rich.

“The president is not focused on improving the lives of everyday Americans. The corruption is clear and cruel,” U.S. Rep. Lateefah Simon, D-Calif., told theGrio.

The congresswoman added, “He’s auctioning off dinners for the purposes of self-enrichment, pushing tax cuts for his friends and the wealthiest amongst us, selling access to the U.S. government, and taking a victory lap on a budget bill that cuts medical coverage and food benefits for the working poor.”

U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., along with other Democrats, introduced the “Stop TRUMP in Crypto Act of 2025” on Thursday in reaction to Trump’s high-priced dinner. The bill would strictly regulate a president, vice president, members of Congress and their immediate families and their ability to own and trade digital assets.

“Nowhere is Trump’s blatant disregard and disrespect for the rule of law more apparent than in the way he has exploited the office of the Presidency to promote shady, fraudulent crypto ventures that hold no real value, and serve no true purpose other than to pad his pockets,” said Waters.

While Thursday’s dinner attendees are described as investors, the official website for Trump’s meme coin makes clear that the coins are “not intended to be, or to be the subject of, an investment opportunity, investment contract, or security of any type.” They are instead intended to “function as an expression of support for, and engagement with, the ideals and beliefs embodied by the symbol $TRUMP.”