“Selling America: Dine with Trump at Mar-a-Lago for a Cool $5 Million!”

Business leaders are reportedly paying staggering sums to dine with President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. Sources indicate that one-on-one meetings with Trump can command as much as $5 million, while group dining experiences are available for $1 million per guest.

Recent invitations obtained by WIRED reveal the allure of these exclusive gatherings. For instance, a “Candlelight Dinner” held this past Saturday invited attendees to pay $1 million to reserve a seat alongside Trump. The formal invitation, prominently featuring the “MAGA INC.” branding, stated: “You are invited to a candlelight dinner featuring special guest President Donald J. Trump.” It also noted that RSVPs would be prioritized on a first-come, first-served basis due to limited space.

Guests were instructed to respond to Meredith O’Rourke, who has played key roles in Trump’s presidential campaign, along with finance coordinator Abby Mathis, a former staff assistant to Senator Tommy Tuberville. Both individuals did not respond to inquiries for comment, nor did the White House.

Notably, the invitation emphasized that Trump would appear solely as a featured speaker and would not be soliciting donations. The event was scheduled for 7:00 PM on March 1 and was labeled as the “MAGA INC. Candlelight Finance Dinner” on Trump’s official agenda, marking the first such event since his inauguration.

Michael Solakiewicz, a pro-Trump digital creator, shared images from the event on social media. The day following the dinner, Trump was also seen at a charity event hosted by Wine Women & Shoes, which featured Elon Musk.

A source familiar with the meetings described the $5 million one-on-one sessions as a “hot ticket” within the business sector, pointing to a growing trend among executives eager to align with the former president. While specific details on the financial allocations remain murky, one insider suggested that funds could be directed toward a future presidential library.

Historically, high-priced dinners with the president have occurred in the past but were not reported during Trump’s time in office. Experts have raised ethical concerns regarding the implications of such fundraising practices so early in a new administration. Don Moynihan, a public policy professor at the University of Michigan, remarked, “The concern is less about fundraising, and more about access and influence… People hoping for favorable treatment may view donations as a means to that end.”