Trump profits from merchandising the presidency and democracy pays the price
Trump profits from merchandising the presidency and democracy pays the price CREW HQ From: info@citizensforethics.org To: Mark M Giese Fri, Apr 17 2026 at 12:45 PM Mark, you need to see this: In the first 14 months of President Trump’s second term, the Trump Store launched at least 622 products, costing nearly $43,000 total, to profit off the presidency. When Trump opened his online store in 2017, during his first year in office, it quickly drew ethics concerns. The Trump Organization— the for-profit business empire that directly enriches Trump and his family —opened up yet another way to profit from the presidency. If sales are any indication, it’s now a well-oiled grifting machine. Trump’s most recently released financial records show that the store brought in approximately $8.8 million in 2024, more than double what it made in 2023, and more than 17 times what it made in its first full year of operation. This is an unprecedented level of monetiza...