2024 US Presidential Election

Welcome to the DJ of T

Before his presidency, Donald Trump’s fame stemmed from branding rather than traditional business success. Despite legal fees, he continues his brand-centric ventures, including sneakers, cologne, and even a Trump-endorsed Bible.

B. Jay Cooper

Mar 30, 2024 — 3 min read

Before his presidency, Donald Trump’s fame stemmed from branding rather than traditional business success. Despite legal fees, he continues his brand-centric ventures, including sneakers, cologne, and even a Trump-endorsed Bible.

B efore Donald J. Trump became president of the United States, his claim to fame was as a successful real estate tycoon. That was the public image. His real success (and it was real success) was branding his name to a point that he made lots of money from licensing agreements where he sold his name which meant investing only his brand, not his money.

You knew that, though.

What’s interesting now, if anything about Donald Trump is interesting these days, is he is still at it.

He, indeed, is the P.T. Barnum of his age. His Trump Wine is still for sale. Trump University has folded after lawsuits largely because it was not a university at all. Just a brand. And you can find other Trump-named products.

But the Trump Grift is always in process!

Some of the reason for that is his, according to The New York Times, the $90,000 a day his legal fees are costing him. Well, someone, not him necessarily.

Now, if you go to Gettrumpsneakers.com, which was set up to sell his Gold Sneakers, but now it says: The gold are sold out but coming soon (I’m not making this up), you can pre-order regular Trump sneakers white or red (get it?) for just $199. Or, Victory 47 cologne or perfume. Both sell for $99 even though I’m told there is usually a cost difference between perfume and cologne.

Oh, and if you buy two items, you get 5% off and, wait there’s more, you get a free “exclusive Trump Superstar Charm (numbered).” You'll also get an invite to the “official Trump sneaker launch party (TBD)” with ‘no guarantee President Trump will attend.’ I’m guessing there is a guarantee he won’t attend tho.

The newest product, get this, is a Trump-endorsed “God Bless The USA Bible”. You read that right, and if you don’t believe me, just go to GodBlessTheUSABible.com and see for yourself. Once there, you will see a video starring DJT himself endorsing the book, as he calls it.

Now I’m pretty sure the licensing agreement on this one was not struck with the author. But it was struck among backers and Lee Greenwood, patriot extraordinaire and singer of “God Bless the USA”, a Republican anthem for decades.

In his video on the website, Trump says, “Religion and Christianity are the biggest things missing from this country.” His pitch calls the Bible his favorite book and proudly states that he has “many” in his home. “We don’t answer to bureaucrats in Washington,” he says. “We answer to God in Heaven… Christians are under siege!”

I don’t believe proselytizing is part of the job description for the President of the United States. In fact, it was intentionally left out of the Constitution, if memory serves.

But that is not the world according to DJT. In fact, if he’s elected again, I hear rumors he wants to rebrand the country to the Disjointed Jurisdictions of Trump (DJT).

It could happen.