They crane their necks to get a glimpse of the helicopter as it descends on the lawns of Donald Trump’s Virginia golf club.
The event is black tie, a gala, a chance to dine with the president of the United States.
This invite is one money can buy. A kind of money, at least.
To get into this room, the guests have had to invest real money into the official Trump cryptocurrency. Collectively, they hold about $US150 million ($229 million) worth of the coin.
The group watches as he exits the helicopter and cheers as he enters the room.
The gala was for the top 220 holders of the Trump cryptocurrency, $TRUMP. (Supplied)
Donald Trump’s wealth, and that of his family, is skyrocketing.
Trump says he has stepped back from his business ventures since taking office, and his interests are now held in trust by his sons.
But critics say he is operating like no president has before, mixing business and politics in a way that may violate the US constitution and threaten the very foundations of American democracy.
His links to a plethora of business activities and cryptocurrency ventures have opened him up to accusations of conflicts of interest and profiting from the presidency.
‘He can do whatever he wants’
The event in Virginia was billed as a reward for the top 220 holders of the Trump cryptocurrency, called $TRUMP, which launched three days before his inauguration.
The Trump family makes money when the currency is traded.
In crypto circles, it is considered a “meme coin”, a kind of collectible inspired by internet trends that can be bought and sold, but has no guaranteed real-world value or practical application.
One of the investors in the room was 25-year-old Nick Pinto.
Nick Pinto wanted to film a TikTok with the president at the gala. (Four Corners: Cameron Schwarz)
The Lamborghini-driving Floridian got into crypto early and has made a lot of money from it.
He knows the money he has poured into $TRUMP has made the president and his family richer.
“I don’t mind that Trump is profiting off this currency because I am involved in the crypto space and the fact that he’s involved in cryptocurrency at all drives the price up, and when the price goes up, I’m profiting,” he tells Four Corners.
“So any time he tweets something about the currency, the price will go up or down.
