Imagine if Kamala Harris or any Democrat used their campaign platform to hawk products to MAGA for personal gain; the mainstream media would make it headline news calling out the immorality.
Trump is scamming MAGA supporters again.
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Fundraising is a necessary component of any campaign. However, former president Donald Trump has managed to take this concept to new extremes by turning his presidential bid into a vehicle for monetizing nearly every aspect of his public persona. This video shows one of Trump’s more blatant and bizarre methods for soliciting money from his supporters. From digital trading cards to Trump-branded watches and coins, Trump’s ventures demonstrate how his campaign is often less about politics and more about financial gain at the expense of his most loyal followers.
The video opens with a note of incredulity, and rightly so. The idea that the former president of the United States would use his platform to sell merchandise under the guise of supporting his campaign is unusual and disturbing. In an era where economic inequality is a growing concern for many Americans, Trump’s willingness to exploit his supporters—many of whom belong to the working-class communities that have been hit hardest by financial instability—paints a cynical picture of his motives.
In the clip, Trump pitches his infamous digital trading cards and NFTs and announces new merchandise lines, including watches and coins, with his image plastered across them. The viewer is left wondering: what does this have to do with leading a nation? What does it say about a political leader who would so easily pivot from championing the concerns of his base to hawking commercial goods?
The notion that Trump is manipulating his supporters for financial gain is not new. His history of shady business dealings, including the fraudulent Trump University and numerous failed real estate ventures, serves as a backdrop to these new money-making schemes. Yet, this situation is more alarming because it is not a private citizen engaged in unscrupulous business tactics; it is a man who once held the highest office in the land and is using his past political platform to fleece his own base.
What’s most alarming, however, is the loyalty of his supporters. The video illustrates this paradox: his devoted followers—likely 33% of the country—seem oblivious or even proud that they are being bilked out of their hard-earned dollars. The level of cognitive dissonance involved is astounding. How can a political base, largely composed of people who are suffering from rising costs of living, continue to support a man who spends his time selling overpriced and gimmicky merchandise? The question, “Isn’t that embarrassing?” echoes what many outside Trump’s political orbit have been asking for years.
Yet, Trump’s grift is strategic and preys on the emotional connection he has built with his supporters over time. Trump’s base believes that he is fighting for them, and he carefully cultivates this narrative. His continual attacks on the mainstream media, his positioning as an outsider, and his inflammatory rhetoric about elites have fostered a near-cult-like following. This is not mere political support but a “cult” built around a messianic figure who can seemingly do no wrong. Even when he is overtly swindling his followers, they stay loyal, waving their flags and buying his merchandise.
Trump’s financial manipulations extend beyond his trading cards and merchandise. He has also been accused of using his campaign to solicit donations under pretenses. The New York Times reported that during the 2020 election, many of Trump’s supporters were automatically enrolled in recurring donation programs without their full understanding, leading to complaints and demands for refunds. Due to deceptive fundraising tactics, Trump’s campaign refunded over $122 million in 2020 alone.
This speaks to a broader issue within American politics: the commodification of political campaigns. While it is true that candidates from both sides of the political spectrum sell merchandise to raise funds, Trump’s exploitation of this system takes it to a new level. His campaign is no longer just about promoting policies or seeking donations to support his bid for the presidency; it has become a personal branding exercise, with every new trinket and collectible feeding the Trump empire.
We must counter the toxic influence of Trump’s brand of politics. Progressives recognize that Trump is not just a political figure but a commercial enterprise, one that uses fear, misinformation, and spectacle to maintain power and fleece those who believe in him.
The progressive movement, in contrast, advocates for transparency, economic justice, and a political system that serves the many, not just the few at the top. Trump’s campaign, riddled with these transparent money grabs, reveals the hollow nature of his political project. It is not about “Making America Great Again”; it is about making Trump richer, all while his supporters remain oblivious to the grift.
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