Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy group, has asked US officials to investigate whether President Donald Trump’s promotion of a cryptocurrency violated federal rules.
In a letter sent on February 5 to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), the group argued that President Trump may have improperly solicited gifts while in office.
According to the letter, President Trump’s public endorsement of the Official Trump (TRUMP) meme coin could have led foreign entities to buy the token, which raised ethical concerns.
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Federal rules generally prevent public officials from accepting gifts linked to their position, but past legal interpretations suggest a sitting president is exempt—unless they directly request or pressure someone to offer such gifts.
Public Citizen claims that his continued promotion of the token on Truth Social amounted to asking his supporters for financial contributions without offering anything in return. The letter states:
It appears Trump is not soliciting money in exchange for an investment or tangible product <…> but soliciting money in exchange for nothing—that is, asking for a gift that will benefit him personally.
The legal consequences of such actions remain unclear. A 2024 Supreme Court ruling established that a sitting president could not be prosecuted for official acts. This means any investigation would need to determine whether President Trump’s crypto promotion was tied to his role as president or was a private action.
The advocacy group has suggested measures to address the issue, including “termination of the meme sale” and refunds for those who purchased the TRUMP token.
Meanwhile, on January 22, two members of Congress called for an investigation into President Trump-linked tokens. What did they say? Read the full story.
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