California Gov. Gavin Newsom says he’s “about to place out” a satirical meme coin dubbed “Trump Corruption Coin,” a jab he floated throughout a podcast interview with journalist Kara Swisher as a part of his broader on-line mockery makes an attempt at President Donald Trump’s model and crypto forays.
Newsom Mulls Meme Coin Launch
Within the dialog, Newsom framed the coin as a parody challenge aimed toward highlighting what he views as Trump’s moral issues, positioning it as a head-to-head foil to the president’s personal token exercise. “This is without doubt one of the nice grifters of our time,” he mentioned, including, “ what, Donald, we’ll see how your coin does versus ours.” Official trump (TRUMP) coin has a market cap of $1.6 billion in the present day, however is down 88% from its all-time excessive.
The thought surfaced publicly round Aug. 27, 2025, and stays unlaunched as of in the present day Aug. 30, with Newsom describing it as a near-term launch fairly than a completed product. He beforehand thought of calling it the “Smelt” coin earlier than selecting “Trump Corruption Coin” to sharpen the critique.
Newsom’s tease aligns along with his rising use of meme-driven messaging, together with exercise on X (previously Twitter) via a “Governor Newsom Press Workplace” persona that riffs on Trump’s fashion. The coin idea dovetails with merchandise in his “Patriot Retailer,” the place satire is central to the pitch.
The governor solid the token as a mirror held as much as what he known as “crony capitalism” round Trump’s household and international journeys. Whereas particulars similar to a contract deal with, community, provide, or distribution weren’t supplied, Newsom’s remarks have been express that the challenge is meant as political commentary fairly than an funding automobile.
On-line response ran the gamut from applause for the trolling to skepticism about mixing politics and crypto, with some observers questioning whether or not a parody coin dangers complicated consumers or blurring traces between satire and monetary merchandise. On Polymarket, the California governor has a 32% probability of being the Democratic candidate within the 2028 U.S. election.
Notably, a Solana-based group token labeled NEWSOM exists on third-party trackers and predates the tease, however there is no such thing as a connection between that asset and the governor’s proposed satire coin.
If launched, “Trump Corruption Coin” would mark one other collision of meme tradition and political messaging, reflecting how digital tokens have turn into props in fashionable campaign-style communication as a lot as speculative belongings.
In the meantime, the PolitiFi scene is operating on fumes, with solely TRUMP, MELANIA, and PEOPLE nonetheless holding any actual weight—whereas the remainder of the politically charged meme tokens limp alongside, fading quick into irrelevance.
