On Monday night, as Senate Republicans scrambled in search of votes to advance the GOP’s far-right domestic policy megabill, Donald Trump was using his social media platform to issue a striking announcement:
The president is launching a “Trump Fragrances” line (for men and women). NBC News reported:
‘They’re called ‘Victory 45-47’ because they’re all about Winning, Strength, and Success — For men and women. Get yourself a bottle, and don’t forget to get one for your loved ones too. Enjoy, have fun, and keep winning!’ Trump wrote in the post, which included a link to buy the product. The fragrances are the latest in a series of Trump-branded items he has promoted. Other ventures include the $TRUMP meme coin, branded watches and apparel — some of which included the slogan ‘Trump 2028.’
The circumstances are familiar. In the months leading up to Election Day 2024, when Trump was ostensibly focused on his candidacy, the Republican launched a dizzying merchandising campaign, pitching everything from Trump-branded watches to silver Trump commemorative coins, batches of digital trading cards to a weird cryptocurrency project, gold sneakers to Trump-endorsed Bibles.
Even after the president won a second term, the efforts have continued with, among other things, Trump-branded guitars — all of which have proved quite lucrative for him, according to Trump’s 2025 financial disclosure statement.
Two weeks ago, his business organization even launched a phone service called Trump Mobile, complete with a gold-colored smart phone dubbed the T1.
But as “Trump Fragrances” joins the list, I’m reminded of a straightforward question a reporter asked the Republican on the first full day of his second term in the White House: “Do you intend to continue selling products that benefit you personally while you’re president?”
Instead of answering the straightforward question, Trump questioned the premise, wondering aloud whether he’s actually benefitting personally from his many branded merchandising deals and efforts to monetize his powerful political position. (Months later, his financial disclosure statement answered the question.) But the line of inquiry stood out as memorable because it spoke to a series of assumptions that have unfolded episodically. Looking back over the last few years, observers have long wondered when Trump might stop such side deals and private enterprises. Maybe he’ll stop after he declares his 2024 candidacy, some said. Or maybe he’ll stop after he secures his party’s nomination. Or after the convention. Or after the election. Or after his inauguration. Or maybe, as Trump’s latest antics suggest, he simply won’t stop at all. This post updates our related earlier coverage.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."
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