Tron founder Justin Sun believes the U.S. is on the cusp of a digital asset renaissance — and he says President Donald Trump is leading the charge.
In a dramatic shift from just a few years ago, when Sun was representing Grenada at the WTO and facing mounting regulatory scrutiny from the Biden administration, the crypto mogul now finds himself welcomed at a high-profile dinner hosted by Trump. The event, which brought together top holders of the TRUMP memecoin, signals a warming political climate for crypto in the U.S.
Speaking to CoinDesk after the dinner, Sun dismissed allegations that the token is a veiled bribery mechanism. Instead, he argued that critics are missing the bigger picture: Trump’s embrace of digital assets could reignite innovation across the American crypto landscape.
“People need to look at what’s really happening,” Sun said. “President Trump’s support for crypto is one of the smartest moves he’s made. We’re finally seeing positive momentum again.”
Sun’s support for the Trump-aligned crypto ecosystem isn’t new. Following last year’s election, he reportedly acquired up to $75 million worth of World Liberty Financial tokens. Since Trump’s return to office, the SEC — once a thorn in Sun’s side — has paused its fraud case against him and withdrawn from numerous other crypto-related lawsuits.
Although the Department of Justice continues its investigation into Sun’s activities dating back to 2021, the broader regulatory environment has notably softened — a fact Sun views as a green light for renewed growth.
“The dinner felt like a turning point,” he said. “Crypto companies that were thinking of relocating to Singapore or Hong Kong are now staying. Even major conferences like Consensus are returning stateside.”
Despite protests outside the event and ongoing criticism from mainstream outlets — including allegations of ideological extremism among TRUMP token holders — Sun stands firm. He defended the right to dissent while rejecting the notion that memecoins lack legitimacy.
“Memecoins have a place in this industry,” Sun said. “Just look at DOGE and SHIB — they’ve brought millions into crypto. These tokens are part of the ecosystem’s evolution.”
At Consensus 2025, Barstool Sports’ Dave Portnoy called meme coins a form of gambling, even likening them to Ponzi schemes — but not necessarily in a bad way. Sun, however, took a different view.
“Entrepreneurship means taking risks — some ventures fail, others thrive,” he said. “Memecoins are no different. They’re not scams, they’re experiments. Some will go to zero, and others will help build the future of finance.”
Sun also hinted at a major development on the horizon: the potential for a Tron-based ETF. If realized, it would underscore the dramatic shift in Washington’s crypto posture and cement Tron’s role in the evolving digital asset economy.
