Prominent Wall Street executives and investors will gather this Wednesday at the Trump National Doral Miami club in Palm Beach, Florida, to discuss the future of finance and technology alongside federal officials and U.S. lawmakers.

The "World Liberty Forum," organized by the Trump-family-backed cryptocurrency firm World Liberty Financial, is expected to feature a speaking roster that includes:

- David Solomon, Chief Executive Officer of Goldman Sachs (GS) - Jenny Johnson, CEO of Franklin Resources, which manages $1.7 trillion in assets - Lynn Martin, President of the New York Stock Exchange - Adena Friedman, Chief Executive Officer of Nasdaq

Additionally, officials appointed during the Trump administration are scheduled to attend:

- Michael Selig, Chairman of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) - Kelly Loeffler, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration - Jacob Helberg, Deputy Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs

The event is co-hosted by the president's sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, who are co-founders of World Liberty Financial, along with brothers Zach and Alex Wittkopf. The Wittkopfs' father, Steve Wittkopf, serves as a special envoy to the White House.

The forum's nature has drawn scrutiny regarding potential conflicts of interest. Six legal and government ethics experts consulted by Reuters acknowledged the event's uniqueness but were divided on whether it represents a significant conflict.

Critics argue that the participation of regulators and financial firms alongside the Trump family business suggests improper connections, with officials' attendance potentially seen as endorsements in exchange for political favor. Others contend there is no constitutional legal issue, noting that inherent conflicts of interest exist with any presidency.

A spokesperson for World Liberty Financial, David Waxman, stated that the forum aims to "deepen partnerships and solidify the U.S. dollar's dominance in the digital economy," comparing it to the Milken Institute Global Conference and the Sun Valley Summit. He added that media would be invited, speakers would not receive fees, and related announcements would be publicly disclosed. The company also announced on platform X that it would invite top online promoters of its tradable crypto token WLFI and its USD1 dollar-pegged stablecoin.

The CFTC, Goldman Sachs, Franklin Resources, the NYSE, and Nasdaq all declined to comment or did not respond to requests for comment.

A spokesperson for the Small Business Administration stated that Loeffler was attending "in a personal capacity" and referred questions to World Liberty Financial. A State Department spokesperson said engaging with top business leaders is a core part of Helberg's responsibilities.

President Trump will not attend the event. He previously hosted a dinner in May for large purchasers of his meme-inspired cryptocurrency tokens.

The forum represents a convergence of Trump family business interests, regulators, political appointees, pro-Trump lawmakers, and financial executives involved in crypto policy.

Chris Swartz, a former attorney for the U.S. Office of Government Ethics and now a senior ethics adviser at the Defending Democracy Together organization, expressed concern that the Trump family might be leveraging the presidency for the benefit of their private crypto venture. "Any reasonable person would have serious questions about the propriety of this event," Swartz said.

Conversely, Andy Grewal, a law professor at the University of Iowa, noted that it is not unusual for business leaders to engage with an incumbent administration. "The presidency itself comes with unavoidable conflicts of interest. Ultimately, it's up to voters to judge who handles these conflicts ethically," Grewal stated.

Waxman responded that "there is no precedent for bringing together leaders from finance, technology, and government to discuss the future of critical markets." He characterized labeling such routine cross-sector dialogue as a 'conflict of interest' as a misrepresentation of the event and its participants.

World Liberty Financial was founded by Trump and his three sons ahead of the 2024 U.S. presidential election and has become a central component of the family's wealth. The venture has drawn criticism from Democrats and observers who accuse Trump of using public office for private gain.

Analysis by Reuters indicates that during the first year of Trump's current term, his family realized over $1 billion in profits from cryptocurrency projects, largely stemming from World Liberty Financial. According to Waxman, the firm's flagship product, the USD1 stablecoin, has a circulating supply exceeding $5 billion, making it the fifth-largest stablecoin globally.

A January 2025 report by The Wall Street Journal noted that an investment entity linked to a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family acquired a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial for $500 million just days before Trump's inauguration—a transaction later confirmed by Waxman.

A White House spokesperson, Anna Kelly, stated that the president's assets are held in a trust managed by his children and that "no conflict of interest exists." White House Counsel David Warrington added that "the President is not involved in any business transactions related to his constitutional duties." As a beneficiary of the Trump Organization trust, Trump would be entitled to proceeds from these enterprises after leaving office.