Yes, Trump Is Seeking To Trademark (And Grift Off) America's 250th Birthday
President Donald Trump’s second term is so chock-full of corruption and grift that it seems almost too small to mention that the Trump Organization, his private company, just applied for trademarks for “Trump 250” in conjunction with America’s 250th birthday.
America! Get hyped for “Trump 250” bumper stickers, tote bags, drinkware, clothing, and golf balls, among other trash. And enjoy the opportunity to line Trump’s pockets while purchasing what will no doubt be some of the tackiest shit imaginable. Just look at what you can buy from Trump’s online store, which sells ugly merchandise that veers into “Dear Leader” territory pretty often.
In the terrible timeline we’re currently in, it makes perfect sense that Trump would seek to trademark this phrase. He is already warping America’s birthday into a celebration of himself instead. One of the proposed logos Trump wants trademarked is his name below five fighter jets, while another is just “TRUMP 250.”
Conveniently, his allies also set up Freedom 250, a group planning such patriotic events as paying for Trump’s big dumb arch, an IndyCar race in D.C., and, of course, a UFC fight on the White House lawn. If you slide at least $1 million to those efforts, you get access to Trump.Better yet, the person soliciting donations for Freedom 250 is Meredith O’Rourke, Trump’s fave fundraiser, who is also netting him millions in donations for his gaudy ballroom on the former site of the White House’s East Wing.
But those things allow only the rich to throw money at the president. What about the little people? Well, rest assured: “Trump 250” merchandise seemingly will include some affordable items that allow you to honor Dear Leader.
The Trump Organization also made sure to file to trademark all variations of “President Donald J. Trump International Airport” just before the Florida legislature voted to rename the West Palm Beach airport after him.
The company generously told the airport that it could use the name at no charge and would not profit from the renaming of the airport as far as signage, advertising, and promotions. Sure, but that applies to only the airport itself. Presumably, everyone selling airport-related merchandise, for example, will still get the privilege of paying to use the name.
There’s also the application to trademark Trump’s name for cryptocurrency, tech products, and NFTs. Oh, and there’s also the application to trademark “Trump” and “T1” for his telecommunications phone and service, if those ever launch.
Probably the most disgusting of all of these applications is the attempt to trademark “The Trump Kennedy Center,” the cultural center that he got his cronies to vote to illegally rename after him.
Trump has been pushing the envelope on this sort of thing for years. During his first term, he tried to use the presidential seal at his private golf courses. In a move that was both audacious and pathetic, he continued to use it when he was out of office.
It isn’t like the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, now run by Trump appointee John Squires, will push back. Squires has no background in government, but he is enough of a Trump loyalist that he refused to say in his confirmation hearings whether former President Joe Biden won the 2020 election. This is not a man concerned with the propriety of profiting off the presidency.
Unless Republican legislators come to their senses on this, Trump will continue to use the presidency to line his pockets. This is as corrupt—and tacky—as it gets.
Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos
