When it comes to uncommon campaign merchandise, one cannot deny that former president Donald Trump is king. Throughout the course of his three presidential runs, Trump has accumulated a cult following, building his political brand into one of the most recognizable in our nation’s history.
One of Trump’s most successful tools that contributed to his success in politics has been merchandise. The red Make America Great Again (MAGA) hat has become one of the most recognizable symbols in the American political landscape. MAGA flags, lawn signs and bumper stickers have donned the houses, lawns and cars of Trump’s supporters since his 2016 presidential campaign — even surviving his loss in the 2020 presidential election. However, while most of his campaign merchandise is relatively tame, Trump also has multiple lines of unusual — and at times controversial — merchandise he has marketed throughout his political career.
Some of Trump’s most outlandish merchandise has come in his most recent presidential campaign — one where he has faced mounting legal bills due to multiple lawsuits against him.
For example, Trump’s campaign released Trump-branded digital trading cards. These trading cards — basically glorified NFTs — were released for $99 each and featured “2,024 limited edition physical cards with ‘different rarities’ that will be mailed to anyone who purchases 47 cards or more in a single transaction.” The limited edition cards featured a picture of his mugshot from the Fulton County Jail and a piece of the suit he wore in the mugshot. Additionally, 25 cards will come hand-signed by Trump himself, and some will come with an invitation to Mar-a-Lago for dinner with the former president.
Trump’s campaign also debuted Trump-branded sneakers at SneakerCon, retailing for $399. The “Never Surrender High-Tops” feature a shiny gold fabric base with American flag detailing and a large gold “T” on the side. The sneakers are “Bold, gold, and tough, just like President Trump,” and are sold out on the retailer’s website. According to the Associated Press, the debut of these sneakers came just one day after a judge in New York ordered Trump to pay $355 million in legal penalties.
Tumps’ campaign recently revealed his latest attempt to relate to his political base with campaign merchandise — ‘God Bless the USA” branded bibles. Retailing for $59.99, the bible features the famous lyrics from Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” on the front cover. According to the Associated Press, along with the King James translation of the Bible, this edition also features “copies of the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence and the Pledge of Allegiance, as well as a handwritten chorus of the famous Greenwood song.”
Unfortunately for Trump’s cult following, these viral merchandise sales do not represent success in the political landscape. This brazen attempt to sell cheaply made, tacky merchandise represents the dying breath of Trump’s political integrity as he continues to fend off lawsuit after lawsuit.
