Melania Trump Revives Solana Meme Coin With AI Video Amid Ongoing Controversy

After nearly a year of silence, First Lady Melania Trump resurfaced to promote her Solana-based meme coin, MELANIA, through an AI-generated video on X. Captioned “Into the Future,” the post marked her first activity since June and quickly reignited trading interest. The surprise appearance sent the token’s price from $0.16 to $0.19 before stabilizing at $0.18, according to CoinGecko. Despite this spike, the coin remains down over 98% from its January all-time high of $13.73.

The timing of the promotion has drawn renewed attention to the controversy surrounding the project. Analysts have repeatedly criticized the MELANIA team for a lack of transparency in handling community funds. Data tracked by Bubblemaps revealed that in April the team moved and sold more than $30 million in tokens, including $10 million from community pools. In another instance that same month, the team reportedly liquidated $1.5 million worth of tokens over three days, using a staggered selling approach to avoid triggering a dramatic crash. Many saw this as a calculated move to maximize profit while maintaining market pressure.

This controversy adds to broader scrutiny surrounding politically-linked meme coins. The MELANIA token was originally launched on the eve of Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration and has since struggled to recover from its collapse. Meanwhile, the TRUMP token experienced more successful trading cycles, often surging in response to major policy announcements. However, it too has faced backlash. In May, President Trump invited the top 220 TRUMP token holders to a private dinner at his Virginia golf club. Critics accused him of using political office to boost token value, sparking ethical debates over personal financial gain tied to public influence.

While Melania’s new AI promotion briefly revived interest, analysts argue the project’s credibility remains damaged. Without addressing concerns over multimillion-dollar token sales, the future of the MELANIA meme coin appears uncertain, leaving investors wary despite the recent publicity push.