By Michelle Conlin, Lawrence Delevingne and Trevor Hunnicutt STERLING, Virginia (Reuters) -Buyers of President Donald Trump’s meme coin converged from around the globe on Thursday for an exclusive dinner at his private country club,

Lamar Odom attended a cryptocurrency gala hosted by Donald Trump, promoting his own meme coin amidst protests. The event, aimed at backers of Trump's $TRUMP coin, drew criticism from politicians and ethics experts concerned about potential conflicts of interest.

Trump held a private gala with over 200 of the highest-paying customers of his personal cryptocurrency, some of who said they were looking forward to influencing the president on policy

President Trump hosted an exclusive dinner Thursday night for the 220 biggest buyers of his $TRUMP meme coin, an event that stirred controversy in the nation's capital during a pivotal moment for the crypto world.

Buyers of U.S. President Donald Trump's meme coin converged from around the globe on Thursday for an exclusive dinner at his private country club that was closed to media.

A series of protests against Donald Trump 's administration will take place over the Memorial Day weekend. The protests will take place in Mississippi and come as more than 45 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home.

Protesters gathered outside Trump's club in Sterling, Virginia, heckled Odom along with everyone entering the venue, as seen on a video the former NBA player turned crypto entrepreneur posted on social media.

White House officials have argued the dinner poses no conflict of interest because the president's assets are in a blind trust managed by his adult sons.