PALM BEACH, Florida, Feb 17 (GeokHub) — Senior executives from Wall Street, major U.S. exchanges, and the cryptocurrency industry are set to convene this week at President Donald Trump’s private Mar-a-Lago club for a forum focused on the “future of finance and technology,” an event that is already drawing scrutiny over potential conflicts of interest.
The World Liberty Forum, hosted by Trump family–backed crypto venture World Liberty Financial, will bring together top financial leaders, federal officials, and U.S. lawmakers for discussions on digital assets, regulation, and the role of the U.S. dollar in the evolving global financial system.
Expected speakers include David Solomon, chief executive of Goldman Sachs; Jenny Johnson, head of asset manager Franklin Templeton; New York Stock Exchange President Lynn Martin; and Nasdaq CEO Adena Friedman.
Federal officials slated to attend include Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman Michael Selig, U.S. Small Business Administration head Kelly Loeffler, and State Department Under Secretary for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg.
The forum is being hosted by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, alongside Zach and Alex Witkoff, whose father, Steve Witkoff, serves as a White House special envoy.
President Donald Trump is not expected to attend.
Ethics Experts Split on Conflict Concerns
Legal and government ethics experts interviewed by Reuters offered mixed views on whether the gathering crosses ethical lines. Critics argue the event creates the appearance of regulators and financial executives lending credibility to a Trump family business closely tied to federal crypto policy.
“Any reasonable person would have serious questions about the propriety of this event,” said Chris Swartz, a former attorney with the U.S. Office of Government Ethics.
Others countered that such overlaps are inherent to the presidency and that business leaders often seek alignment with the administration in power.
“The presidency has inescapable conflicts,” said University of Iowa law professor Andy Grewal. “Ultimately, voters decide how much weight to give those concerns.”
Trump Family Crypto Business in Spotlight
World Liberty Financial has rapidly become a cornerstone of the Trump family’s wealth since launching just before the 2024 U.S. presidential election. According to Reuters analysis, Trump-linked crypto ventures have generated more than $1 billion during the president’s first year back in office.
The company’s flagship product, the USD1 stablecoin, now exceeds $5 billion in circulation, ranking it among the world’s largest dollar-backed stablecoins.
In early 2025, an investment vehicle tied to a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family acquired a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial for $500 million, a deal later confirmed by company representatives.
White House Denies Conflict
The White House has rejected accusations of impropriety, stating that President Trump’s assets are held in a trust managed by his children and that he plays no role in business operations.
“The president has no involvement in business deals that would implicate his constitutional responsibilities,” White House counsel David Warrington said in a statement.
World Liberty Financial described the forum as a standard cross-sector dialogue, comparing it to major global business conferences and emphasizing that speakers are unpaid and media will be invited.
