Unauthorized sellers are cashing in on President Donald Trump themed merchandise online, and the Trump Organization is trying to stop them. A new lawsuit filed by the president’s company accuses vendors of selling counterfeit products on platforms like Amazon, Walmart and eBay without permission.
These platforms allow third-party sellers to list and ship their own products, and while many are legitimate, they’re also a common source of fake goods, including knockoff political items.
Lawsuit targets counterfeit Trump products
The Trump Organization, which runs its own official merchandise site, claims these sellers are copying its designs and profiting from imitation goods. According to the complaint, this illegal activity causes consumer confusion and harms the value of the Trump brand. The organization says it’s been forced to take legal action to protect both its reputation and buyers who may be misled into purchasing fake merchandise.
The lawsuit includes side-by-side images comparing counterfeit hats, sweatshirts and coffee mugs to official Trump merchandise sold on the brand’s website.
The company is seeking court orders to shut down the counterfeit operations and is demanding monetary damages. The case was filed in Florida, where the Trump Organization says the defendants conduct business and have shipped products.
Trump name is a federally registered trademark
The Trump Organization holds several active federal trademarks for the “TRUMP” name on items like apparel, stationery, drinkware and campaign materials. Only the organization and its licensed partners are authorized to sell Trump-branded products in the United States.
The company accuses the sellers of disguising their identities, using fake names and incomplete registration details and opening new storefronts under aliases to avoid being caught.
Many of the storefronts allegedly share similar layouts, prices, product images and even checkout systems, suggesting they may be part of a coordinated operation. The lawsuit also claims that the counterfeiters route money through offshore bank accounts and frequently switch web hosts to avoid enforcement efforts.
Election season drives sales surge
Amazon sellers raked in big profits ahead of the 2024 election with Trump branded merchandise bringing in $140 million between April and September, compared to $26 million tied to Kamala Harris gear, according to data from Omnisend.
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Author: Alex Delia
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