Donald Trump promised to get rich running for president, and that’s one campaign promise he’s determined to keep. Although he’s already backed down on arresting Secretary Hillary Clinton, building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border and repealing Obamacare, he hasn’t wasted any time in capitalizing on his newfound status as President-Elect of the United States. For example, his campaign is now offering a $149 red “Make American Great Again” baseball cap just in time for the holidays, although America’s reaction may not be what he anticipated.
In an email to supporters, the Trump-Pence campaign asserted that “President-Elect Trump loves Christmas” and proclaims “Merry Christmas” as often as possible. Early in his campaign, Trump promised that if he became president, Americans would no longer say “Happy Holidays.” Many conservatives see “Happy Holidays” as part of the liberal war on Christianity. Trump’s love for Christmas may be well established, but it’s not clear that he understands the reason for the season, given his attempt to profit off the holiday.
Although the ornament is made of brass and features 24-karat gold embellishments, critics immediately jumped on the high price tag. They pointed out that the rural, working-class voters who sent Trump to the White House – assuming he’s willing to actually relocate from his gold-covered NYC penthouse – don’t have the disposable income to spend $149 on a Christmas tree ornament. Commentators have also pointed out that the ornament is likely not made in the United States, despite Trump’s promises to bring manufacturing jobs back to the country.
On Amazon, reviewers are offering their own snarky remarks. One-star reviews assert that the ornament sent their nativity figures to an internment camp, called Mary a “nasty woman,” and is so heavy it makes their Christmas tree lean way to the right. Another highly ranked comment claimed confusion as to how the ornament ended up on Amazon, given that a blue ornament with more experience, more tolerance towards others and supported by two million more consumers was supposed to be listed. A few sarcastic five-star reviews have appeared praising the ornament for its low cost compared to other Nazi propaganda, commenting that its small size is perfect for tiny hands and stating they bought it without doing any research because someone told them it was terrific.
It’s unclear whether President-Elect Trump personally approved the production and marketing of this ornament. A few analysts are claiming Trump is conducting a sophisticated media scheme to control the news surrounding his brand, with the release of this ornament distracting from reports that Trump may be charging the Secret Service millions of dollars per year to protect Trump Tower in New York City. Last week, some commentators felt that Trump’s comments demanding the cast of Hamilton apologize for their comments to Vice President-Elect Mike Pence were just a distraction from the $25 million settlement agreed to in the fraud case over Trump University. Whether these speculations are true or not, it’s clear that Trump faces a difficult road in uniting the country under his leadership. Cash-grabbing attempts like this expensive ornament are unlikely to make his job any easier.