Political and Celebrity Memecoins: TRUMP, LIBRA, HAWK and What Happened
Celebrity and political memecoins can reach billions in value within a day and lose most of it within weeks. The TRUMP coin launched on January 17, 2025 and the LIBRA token fell more than 90% after insiders sold, so the evidence so far shows a pattern of large early gains for insiders and heavy losses for many later buyers.
When a famous name launches a coin, attention is guaranteed, and attention is what a memecoin sells. That is why these launches are among the largest and the riskiest. This article sticks to what has been reported, with sources, and does not take a political side.
The TRUMP coin
| Fact | Detail (source: Wikipedia, citing news reports) |
|---|---|
| Launch | January 17, 2025, on Solana, three days before the inauguration |
| Total supply | 1 billion coins; 200 million sold in an initial offering on launch day |
| Held by two Trump-owned companies | About 800 million coins (80% of the post-offering supply), released gradually over three years |
| First day | Price rose more than 300% overnight; market value exceeded $27 billion in under a day (a hypothetical figure, since most coins were not for sale) |
| Decline | Down 86% from January 20, 2025 to late November 2025 |
Because most supply was held by the two companies, the headline valuation described coins that were not trading. This is the difference between market cap and liquidity. See market cap vs liquidity.
The dinner and the money
In April 2025 the project announced that the top 220 holders would be invited to dinner with the president; the coin rose more than 50% on the news. The dinner took place in May 2025. NBC News reported that contest winners collectively spent $394 million on the coin. Accounts of who made money differ: the Financial Times reported in March 2025 that the project had netted at least $350 million from token sales and fees, and a New York Times forensic analysis reported that 813,294 wallets lost about $2 billion while the project and its partners earned about $100 million in trading fees. Wikipedia notes that valuations of the president's own holdings vary widely between outlets, and it calls the personal profit unclear.
Critics, including ethics experts, raised conflict-of-interest concerns, and members of Congress introduced bills about officials profiting from crypto. Supporters have argued the coin is a legitimate way to engage voters. As reported, there is a dispute over these questions that this article does not settle.
LIBRA and Argentina
On a Friday in February 2025, Argentine President Javier Milei announced the LIBRA token on Solana. It reached a market cap above $4 billion and then fell more than 90% after a large sale by apparent insiders, which many observers compared to a rug pull. The next day, Milei deleted his post and said he had been promoting a private venture and had nothing to do with it. A judge was appointed to investigate; the launchpad Meteora defended its approach, and one of its co-founders resigned. As of the Axios report, how much investors lost was not stated.
Other reported cases
- $HAWK (December 2024): issued by an internet personality, it peaked at about $490 million and fell to about $25 million, and was accused of a pump and dump and insider trading.
- Fartcoin (December 2024): briefly passed a $2 billion valuation with no purpose beyond the joke.
- $CAR (February 2025): a coin launched by the Central African Republic's president dropped 95% on February 11, one day after trading began.
- Hijacked accounts (early 2025): hackers took over verified government accounts to promote fake coins such as "CUBA" and "MALAYSIA"; one rug pull drained $1.7 million.
- Copycats: more than 700 copycat and spam coins were sent to a famous wallet in February 2025 to suggest an endorsement.
A pattern worth knowing
- Insiders hold a large share. Check the holder table. See holder concentration.
- The announcement is the peak, not the start. Prices often move before regular buyers can act. See spotting a pump and dump.
- A famous name is not a guarantee. A post or a deleted post can change everything within hours.
- Impersonation is common. Verify the official contract address. See fake and copycat coins.
How to treat them
If you trade them anyway, treat them like any high-risk memecoin: use a small size you can lose entirely, check the pool, exit in parts and never rely on a name. See position sizing. Nothing here is advice to buy or sell any coin.
Sources
- Wikipedia: $TRUMP (figures as reported; several sources conflict)
- Axios: Milei's meme coin woes (Feb 18, 2025)
- Wikipedia: Memecoin
Numbers and dates were checked on November 11, 2026 and can change. Nothing here is financial advice.
FAQ
When did the TRUMP coin launch?
January 17, 2025 on Solana, three days before the inauguration, with a total supply of 1 billion coins.
What happened to the LIBRA token?
It passed a $4 billion market cap after Argentina's president promoted it, then fell more than 90% after a large sale by apparent insiders, and a judge was appointed to investigate.
Why are market cap figures for these coins misleading?
Most of the supply is held by insiders and not for sale, so the headline value describes coins that are not actually trading.
Are celebrity memecoins safer than others?
No. The reported cases include steep falls, insider selling and impersonation, so the usual checks apply fully.
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