A private dinner event this week in Washington, marketed as the “Most Exclusive Once in Lifetime Invitation,” is the latest in a series of high-profile ventures by entrepreneur Bill Zanker in collaboration with President Donald Trump, Bloomberg reports.
The gathering, designed to reward top holders of a Trump-branded cryptocurrency, reflects a broader and increasingly complex business relationship between the two longtime partners.
Zanker, who co-authored the 2007 book Think Big and Kick Ass with Trump, has remained an influential figure behind several Trump-related commercial endeavors. Over the years, the duo has partnered on ventures ranging from a crowdfunding platform to multiple non-fungible token (NFT) projects. Most recently, Zanker has played a significant role in launching a portfolio of businesses including colognes, watches, digital games, and the memecoin known as $TRUMP.
According to data from Chainalysis, the $TRUMP cryptocurrency alone has generated over $300 million in fees for companies connected to Trump and Zanker. While Zanker’s involvement is not publicly stated on the memecoin’s website, Delaware corporate filings list him as the “authorized person” for Fight Fight Fight LLC, the entity running the coin’s online presence.
The Thursday dinner event, organized by Zanker’s company, is set to bring together the top 220 coin holders for an in-person meeting with Trump. The event triggered a surge in the token’s value and has drawn criticism from ethics experts who argue it blurs the line between political influence and personal gain.
Particular attention has been paid to attendees such as Justin Sun, a crypto entrepreneur currently facing regulatory scrutiny in the US His presence at the dinner has heightened concerns that access to the former president may be influenced by financial involvement in Trump-linked crypto projects.
The White House has not commented on the dinner or the cryptocurrency. However, Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said recently:
“President Trump is compliant with all conflict-of-interest rules, and only acts in the best interests of the American public.”
Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) recently sent a letter to Zanker seeking clarification on his role in the cryptocurrency and related events. The inquiry is part of a broader Senate investigation into Trump-affiliated crypto projects and their compliance with ethics standards.
Blumenthal said the promotional strategies used to boost the memecoin’s value resemble a pattern seen in Trump and Zanker’s previous business efforts: “pumping up” interest with high-profile offerings. In this case, those include exclusive dinners, collectible items, and high-end merchandise like the Magnificent Trump Tourbillon watch — valued at $100,000 — and gold Trump-branded sneakers.
Zanker, 71, has largely stayed out of the spotlight, but has been instrumental in building this portfolio of Trump-branded products, which also includes colognes and digital assets. Many of the product websites accept the $TRUMP token as payment and follow a similar naming convention, such as GetTrumpFragrances.com and GetTrumpMemes.com.
Despite his central role in several of these businesses, Zanker is not involved in all Trump-related ventures. Companies producing Trump-branded steaks, deodorants, and religious items are not affiliated with him. Additionally, World Liberty Financial, a crypto company linked to the Trump family, has denied any connection to Zanker.
Zanker’s earlier ventures included hosting educational events through The Learning Annex, a company known for both conventional and controversial courses. He invited Trump to speak at some of these events, which eventually led to their joint publishing effort. Trump, in later writings, praised Zanker as “a gifted promoter.”
During Trump’s first term, Zanker focused on ventures like GRIT BXNG, a fitness brand developed with his children, but returned to collaborate with Trump on NFTs and digital assets ahead of the 2024 election. Their first NFT launch sold out quickly, despite occurring just after the collapse of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX. Zanker later said those successes helped shift Trump’s view on digital assets, turning him from a skeptic to a supporter.
Still, not every project has sustained its momentum. The crowdfunding site co-created by Zanker and Trump eventually shut down, and the memecoin experienced volatility, losing significant value shortly after its launch. Its recent partial recovery coincided with the announcement of the exclusive dinner.
Critics, including former White House ethics lawyer Richard Painter, have raised alarms about the potential for conflicts of interest.
“If people close to the president are making large sums from these businesses, it’s a breach of public trust,” Painter said.
