Former NBA player Lamar Odom was among the top investors hosted by President Donald Trump at a cryptocurrency gala held on Thursday at Trump’s luxury golf club in Sterling, Virginia. The event was organized for major backers of Trump’s $TRUMP meme coin project. Despite his star power, Odom faced boos and heckles from gathered protesters as he walked through security.
In a video posted to X (formerly Twitter), Odom appeared undeterred: “I’m just about to pass through security and officially walk into the Trump Gala . Honestly… I’m fired up,” he wrote. Promoting his own meme coin, $ODOM, he added, “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!” He further described the event as “the most authentic soulful experience in crypto history.”
Protests and political backlash
Outside the venue, protesters held signs reading “stop crypto corruption ,” “no corrupt fools,” and “Don the Con.” Odom was not spared their scorn; one protester called him a “hypocrite,” as captured in his social media video. Banners also included messages such as “No Kings.”
Among those leading the protest was U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon), who told The New York Times, “This is the crypto corruption club. This is like the Mount Everest of corruption.” Concerns were echoed by congressional Democrats and ethics experts who argue that events like this give wealthy individuals undue access to the president and raise potential conflicts of interest.
A group of congressional Democrats sent a formal letter to the Department of Justice , urging an investigation into whether the crypto dinner may violate the federal bribery statute or the Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause, which bars federal officials from accepting gifts or payments from foreign governments.
Controversial crypto venture
Three days before taking office in January 2025, Trump announced the launch of the $TRUMP meme coin, positioning it as a fun way for supporters to engage with the campaign. According to the Associated Press, the coin’s value surged briefly before crashing. Despite the downturn, entities tied to the Trump Organization reportedly made hundreds of millions of dollars in trading fees. Critics have called the venture a thinly veiled method for political fundraising and influence peddling.
The gala dinner in Sterling was attended by 220 top investors in the $TRUMP coin. Although the White House declined to release the official guest list, some attendees, including Odom, confirmed their presence publicly. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed allegations of profiteering: “It’s absurd for anyone to insinuate that this president is profiting off of the presidency,” she said.
Lamar Odom’s crypto ambitions and public persona
Odom, a two-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers, has increasingly stepped into the crypto space. He used the Trump event to promote his own cryptocurrency, $ODOM. A 14-year NBA veteran, Odom has remained in the public eye through his high-profile marriage to Khloé Kardashian, appearances on reality TV shows, and a very public health crisis in 2015 when he was found unconscious following a drug overdose in a Nevada brothel.
The former athlete’s participation in the gala, and the public backlash it attracted, adds another layer to his complex public image as he tries to carve out a space in the rapidly evolving world of crypto entrepreneurship.
In a video posted to X (formerly Twitter), Odom appeared undeterred: “I’m just about to pass through security and officially walk into the Trump Gala . Honestly… I’m fired up,” he wrote. Promoting his own meme coin, $ODOM, he added, “Think about it, what meme coin has ever done this? $ODOM isn’t just a token, it’s taking the stage at a presidential gala tonight!” He further described the event as “the most authentic soulful experience in crypto history.”
I’m just about to pass through security and officially walk into the Trump Gala.
— LAMAR ODOM (@LamarOdom) May 22, 2025
Honestly… I’m fired up.
Think about it—what meme coin has ever done this?$ODOM isn’t just a token, it’s taking the stage at a presidential gala tonight!
By the way, Bitcoin is smashing through… pic.twitter.com/7eI5SezPLh
Protests and political backlash
Outside the venue, protesters held signs reading “stop crypto corruption ,” “no corrupt fools,” and “Don the Con.” Odom was not spared their scorn; one protester called him a “hypocrite,” as captured in his social media video. Banners also included messages such as “No Kings.”
Among those leading the protest was U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon), who told The New York Times, “This is the crypto corruption club. This is like the Mount Everest of corruption.” Concerns were echoed by congressional Democrats and ethics experts who argue that events like this give wealthy individuals undue access to the president and raise potential conflicts of interest.
A group of congressional Democrats sent a formal letter to the Department of Justice , urging an investigation into whether the crypto dinner may violate the federal bribery statute or the Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause, which bars federal officials from accepting gifts or payments from foreign governments.
Controversial crypto venture
Three days before taking office in January 2025, Trump announced the launch of the $TRUMP meme coin, positioning it as a fun way for supporters to engage with the campaign. According to the Associated Press, the coin’s value surged briefly before crashing. Despite the downturn, entities tied to the Trump Organization reportedly made hundreds of millions of dollars in trading fees. Critics have called the venture a thinly veiled method for political fundraising and influence peddling.
The gala dinner in Sterling was attended by 220 top investors in the $TRUMP coin. Although the White House declined to release the official guest list, some attendees, including Odom, confirmed their presence publicly. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed allegations of profiteering: “It’s absurd for anyone to insinuate that this president is profiting off of the presidency,” she said.
Lamar Odom’s crypto ambitions and public persona
Odom, a two-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers, has increasingly stepped into the crypto space. He used the Trump event to promote his own cryptocurrency, $ODOM. A 14-year NBA veteran, Odom has remained in the public eye through his high-profile marriage to Khloé Kardashian, appearances on reality TV shows, and a very public health crisis in 2015 when he was found unconscious following a drug overdose in a Nevada brothel.
The former athlete’s participation in the gala, and the public backlash it attracted, adds another layer to his complex public image as he tries to carve out a space in the rapidly evolving world of crypto entrepreneurship.
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