Mary Trump, the estranged niece of President-elect Donald Trump, accused her uncle on Wednesday of “grifting” during the holiday season as she condemned his use of selling merchandise that is affiliated with himself.
Before he entered politics, Trump had used his celebrity status as a New York real estate businessman to sell merchandise from vodka to steaks. He has since continued this approach in his 2024 presidential campaign, selling a wide range of items.
These included collectible digital trading cards featuring him as a superhero, $399 gold high-top sneakers, $100 “MAGADonalds” T-shirts, and even $60 “God Save America” Bibles, which reportedly netted him $300,000 overall. The latest product launched in September is “TRUMP Watches” that asks his supporters to spend at least $499 to join “President Trump’s Watch Community.”
Earlier this month, Trump also unveiled a collection of guitars that he has endorsed, including “signature edition” guitars that he signed, which are selling for $10,000 apiece, while a non-signed guitar costs $1,250.
While it is not clear whether Trump receives any of the profits from the guitars, which come in black, red and gold, the Trump Guitars website promises that all orders will “arrive in time for Christmas.”
However, the company selling the guitars has recently been issued a cease-and-desist order by major guitar brand Gibson, citing concerns that the design “infringes upon Gibson’s exclusive trademarks, particularly the iconic Les Paul body shape.”
In a YouTube video posted on Wednesday titled, “Griftsgiving: Trump’s Holiday Scams Exposed – The Family Business,” Mary Trump, a vocal critic of her uncle, discussed these products as she accused the president-elect of “grifting” during the holiday season.
“Gather around the table because it is that time of the year again. Yes, the vegan turkey is roasting, the pumpkin pie is cooling, and of course I’m getting my massive bowl of mashed potatoes ready because Donald and his cronies are back at it with their favorite family tradition grifting,” Mary Trump said. “Let’s get into the side hustle that they are starting to call the ‘parallel economy.’ For those unfamiliar the parallel economy is a MAGA marketplace where conservatives pedal products to their followers promising freedom for a price.”
Speaking of the many Trump-branded products that are out there for sale, Mary Trump said “there is literally no bottom to the grift for this kind of junk.”
Newsweek has reached out to Trump’s campaign via email for comment.
Mary Trump’s remarks come as many of these items including the Trump sneakers and Trump-branded watches are available and are participating in Black Friday sales, according to their official websites on Friday.
Meanwhile, Trump’s retail efforts come amid a fluctuation in his fortune, which is tied to the performance of Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG). The Truth Social parent has previously seen its stock price plummet to less than $14 per share, wiping billions off the president-elect’s net worth. However, beginning the week of the election at $30.33 per share, Truth Social’s stock soared as much as 44 percent during premarket trading on November 6 as Trump was projected to win the presidency.
It also comes in the wake of a $489 million civil fraud judgment against the president-elect, and legal fees from four criminal cases that were against him.
While it is unclear how much Trump makes from all the products and business ventures as some are collaborations with other brands, last year, it was reported that Trump made between $100,000 and $1 million for a series of digital trading cards, which he re-released this year for $99 apiece as a new “America First Collection.”
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