this post was submitted on 31 Dec 2024
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If you wanted to, you could smell like Donald Trump. Or you could drink coffee developed by Rudy Giuliani. You could also use a nicotine product developed by Tucker Carlson, read your children a Trump-themed book written by Mike Huckabee, take health pills hawked by Dr Oz and wear T-shirts designed by Kash Patel.

These are only a few of the products that Trump and people in his circle are selling to the American public, as Republicans and the right wing have established an unprecedented culture of grifting – hawking everything from Bibles to scraps of fabric to NFTs in a ruse that has become a multimillion-dollar micro industry.

Trump’s gold sneakers, launched in February, have brought him almost $400,000 alone. He’s also made $300,000 from selling poorly reviewed Bibles, according to financial disclosures, and has recently been pushing a “fight, fight, fight” range of colognes and perfumes.

The incoming president also sells, in no particular order: watches, guitars, boots, drinks coolers, flip-flops, candles, drinking glasses, doormats, water bottles, a “candle care kit”, slippers, corkscrews, a cheeseboard, a bottle opener, dog leashes, a “Gold Trump Serving Tray”, a “Trump Havana Wood Cigar Ashtray”, a $95 Christmas ornament, an $85 passport holder, a picnic blanket, a baseball, a $62 throw pillow and a $70 “Trump Leatherette Coaster Set”.

top 37 comments
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[–] MisterNeon@lemmy.world 72 points 5 days ago (2 children)

The fact "Trump Stores" are a thing and have been around for almost a decade both perplexes and nauseates me.

[–] kryptonianCodeMonkey@lemmy.world 36 points 5 days ago (2 children)

There's a dude that hawks Trump branded shit year round in my area. He has this popup stand with flags, t shirts, hats, and other Trump bullshit. He seems to bounce back and forth between two locations in my town and the next one over, but he does this year round. I know he's making money. He's been doing it for years and there's plenty of idiots flying Trump flags in their yards and on their trucks around here.

I almost wish I didn't have a sense of shame. I wouldn't mind making a few bucks off of the literal worse people in the country by selling them stupid cheap knick knacks.

[–] TimeSquirrel@kbin.melroy.org 15 points 5 days ago (2 children)

Get a box of 50 flags from Aliexpress for $5, sell them for $10 each. He might not be stupid.

[–] kryptonianCodeMonkey@lemmy.world 19 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Oh I don't think he is stupid, at least not in terms of making a buck. I've not actually visited his stand to see his price and quality, but I would venture to guess that his margins are astronomical.

You'd have to talk the talk though.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 8 points 5 days ago

$10? Try $50. I haven't been to a Trump merch stall, but I've been to plenty of sci-fi conventions, and I imagine their ludicrous markups are less ludicrous than the Trump merch people.

[–] Dhs92@programming.dev 9 points 5 days ago

Huh, someone does that here too. Some black food truck like trailer with a ton of Trump merch

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 10 points 5 days ago

Yep, I drove by one on an interstate exit on the way to Atlanta last month. Made me want to retch.

[–] Diplomjodler3@lemmy.world 26 points 4 days ago

Smell like Trump? I can roll in shit for free.

[–] CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world 41 points 5 days ago (3 children)

For a supposed "billionaire" why all this snake-oil salesman shit?

[–] FilthyHands@sh.itjust.works 35 points 5 days ago (1 children)

They squeeze the oil from treaded-on snakes.

[–] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 16 points 5 days ago (1 children)

So that's where snake oil comes from!

Who knew!!

lol

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 8 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Yeah, but they can't sell it.

[–] natedog526@lemmy.world 6 points 4 days ago (1 children)

You made my day bringing up one of my favorite holiday movies 😁

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 4 points 4 days ago

Mine too. I have to watch it every year!

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 14 points 5 days ago

The same reason Musk keeps finding new ways to grift: The only way to "win" the "game" is to make the most money. And the richer you are, the better you are.

[–] MegaUltraChicken@lemmy.world 9 points 4 days ago

Money laundering. It's money laundering all the way down.

[–] Goodmorningsunshine@lemmy.world 18 points 4 days ago

When you run your country like a corporation and allow it to become a corporate oligarchy, of course it will denigrate to this. This is end-game America.

[–] bradorsomething@ttrpg.network 23 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I’m waiting for the inevitable presidential body pillow that conservatives can dry-trump.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 13 points 5 days ago

I'm not going to look for it, but I guarantee you it already exists.

[–] jlh@lemmy.jlh.name 20 points 5 days ago (1 children)

As a Swede, the fact that Tucker Carlson and Turning Point are reselling Zyn as their own "masculine" rebranding is hilarious.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 10 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Please tell us Yanks more details, so that we may point and laugh harder!

[–] Flyingpeakock@lemm.ee 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Zyn is a tobacco free alternative to swedish snus that is marketed more towards women and young adults.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago

Excellent. Thank you.

[–] RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 10 points 4 days ago (1 children)

All meshes with the “buy your way to heaven” mentality the evangelists have. Throwing money at their deity-ordained politician is the same as throwing money at Supply Side Jesus.

[–] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 2 points 4 days ago

Indulgences for protestants. Martin Luther would be proud

[–] Lemminary@lemmy.world 9 points 4 days ago

Damn, couldn't they make this shit look more tacky? I hope people start dunking on those shoes harder than they did with crocs.

[–] MegaUltraChicken@lemmy.world 5 points 4 days ago

How else are they going to get cash from the Russians and Saudis?

[–] ininewcrow@lemmy.ca 1 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

If I ever buy Turnip branded crap, I'll glady buy the Chinese knockoffs. I'd pay extra and leave a tip if i knew it was definitely Chinese being sold by some alleyway street hustler.

[–] Dagwood222@lemm.ee -1 points 4 days ago

For your viewing pleasure....

https://youtu.be/RVnoc-ISUag

[–] Dagwood222@lemm.ee -3 points 4 days ago (1 children)
[–] enbyecho@lemmy.world 10 points 4 days ago (1 children)

You know what drives me nuts? People who post Youtube links without even bothering to add the title of the video. I ain't clickin' on that shit bro