Donald Trump Jr. speaks during a memorial service for slain conservative commentator Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium, Arizona, U.S., September 21, 2025. REUTERS/Carlos Barria
1789 Capital, an investment firm where Donald Trump, Jr. is a partner, recently urged companies to sponsor an October 21 event billed, at the time, as the "Inaugural U.S. Treasury AI Summit." The pitch, according to the Wall Street Journal, on October 13, said that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent would be announcing the U.S. Treasury Department's artificial intelligence strategy at the event.
But the firm, according to the Daily Beast's Will Neal, made the pitch without the Treasury Department's approval.
"The pitch apparently included several different perks, including access to a VIP dinner and cocktail party, for companies," Neal reports. "A spokesperson for the Treasury Department has told the (Wall Street Journal) the materials had not been approved ahead of time. Bessent had planned on attending, but may withdraw his appearance if a resolution is not reached on the government shutdown ahead of time."
Neal continues, "In exchanges with The WSJ, organizers of the conference reportedly later referred to the event as an 'AI Summit on American Prosperity,' omitting any mention of the Treasury. People with knowledge of the plans told the newspaper the conference had been pitched 'differently in different venues.' Don Trump Jr. is not involved in the event, the WSJ said."
The Wall Street Journal and the Daily Beast's reporting on the October 21 gathering is generating a lot of discussion on X, formerly Twitter.
Hark Herald Press' James F. Love IV tweeted, " Trump allies accused of misleading donors with bogus ‘Treasury’ summit pitch."
Theresa Fallon, a senior fellow at the Chicago Council, posted, "Trump allies sold sponsorships to what appeared to be a Treasury event on AI — but it wasn't."
WSJ reporter Josh Dawsey noted, "A group of Trump allies sold sponsorships to an event they billed in documents as the 'Inaugural U.S. Treasury A.I. Summit' and pitched 'historic' policy announcements from Scott Bessent and VIP parties. It wasn't actually a government event."
Read the full Wall Street Journal article at this link (subscription required) and The Daily Beast's reporting here (subscription required).