Leaked videos from a private crypto gala are causing a stir after they showed President Donald Trump cracking a shocking joke about the assassination attempt that once left him injured. The event, held Thursday night, was a closed-door dinner for the 220 biggest buyers of Trump’s cryptocurrency project, known as the “\$TRUMP” meme coin. Critics across political lines have slammed the coin as nothing more than a cash grab. The guest list wasn’t made public, and no media outlets were allowed inside.
However, clips from inside the event quickly made their way to social media. Billionaire Justin Sun, crypto entrepreneur Ciara Sun, and European investor Christoph Heuermann were among the attendees who shared footage of the night. One of the most talked-about moments came during Trump’s speech. A loud popping sound is heard in the background. Trump pauses, touches his ear, and cracks a joke about his past assassination scare. The audience burst into laughter and cheers as Trump said, “Whoops! My ear! That was amazing. Very strange noise. That brings back some not-such-good memories.”
Other videos showed Trump entering the stage to cheers while doing his signature dance, and later taking shots at Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in his speech.
Before the event, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt tried to distance the presidency from the dinner, saying it was a “private” event and not linked to the White House. She insisted Trump was attending in a personal capacity, not as president. But this claim was quickly questioned once videos revealed Trump speaking at a podium bearing the official presidential seal. Another clip showed him beside a lectern also marked with the seal, raising concerns over whether official government symbols were being used for a private, money-making event.
Attendee Christoph Heuermann later shared his thoughts on Instagram, saying the event didn’t go exactly as he had imagined. He explained that although he saw several crypto billionaires there, most of the crowd were younger professionals working in crypto exchanges, trading firms, or tech startups—many from Europe, along with some Chinese and a few Americans. He praised the diversity and the networking opportunities, calling the gathering impressive.
He also pointed out that Trump kept his distance from the attendees and didn’t shake hands or have one-on-one interactions, even with high-tier VIP token holders. Still, Heuermann said it was worth attending just to see Trump in person and witness the heavy security surrounding his arrival and departure.
The leaked clips have now sparked even more criticism, with some asking whether the event blurred the line between personal business and presidential power, especially with the presidential seal being visibly used.
