Trump profits from merchandising the presidency and democracy pays the price
Trump profits from merchandising the presidency and democracy pays the price
- 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 monetization of the presidency—and it adds to the dizzying corruption of Trump's second term.While the red “Make America Great Again” hats may seem like the store’s obvious cash cow, during Trump’s first term these hats and others referencing the presidency were sold only through the campaign store.
This was a largely symbolic separation between Trump the president and Trump the businessman. After Trump lost the 2020 election, any appearance of separation was shattered as the store began to stock MAGA hats and never stopped.
A supporter could now buy one of each currently in-stock product and spend $91,145.12 on 1,492 items. Ninety-nine of those items reference the presidency and would cost $7,511.28.
Additional items commemorate actions Trump took as president, such as a $55 “Space Force” hat or a $50 “Gulf of America – Yet Another Trump Development” ball cap.
Even more concerning? Several items sell the idea of an unconstitutional third Trump term, including a “Four More Years!” hat, “Trump 2028” hats and can coolers, and “Trump 2028 (Rewrite The Rules)” shirts.
Those famous or close enough to the president might even receive merch at no cost, since Trump is known to pass out Trump Store hats at Cabinet meetings and Oval Office visits.
The organic promotional value of these photo ops of the rich and powerful wearing the president’s apparel is not something that might show up on a financial disclosure, but points to the president’s priorities: hawking his goods at any opportunity, appearance be damned.
With thousands of choices of how to benefit Trump literally at anyone’s fingertips, the message is clear: the American presidency is once again for sale, and this time, without any pretenses.
The merch store is just the most obvious physical representation of how Trump has essentially put his office up for sale—he’s auctioned off access to himself for those who can afford to donate millions to his political apparatus and pet projects, and even to top holders of his memecoin.
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