A government ethics group has reported that President Donald Trump‘s official store has added over 600 new branded items during his second term. The non-profit organization Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) said that at least 622 new products, totaling nearly $43,000, have been added in the first 14 months of his current term.
CREW made this announcement on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. According to The Independent, the group called it “an unprecedented level of monetization of the presidency, even by the standards of Trump’s own first term.” The Trump Store is the official retail outlet of the Trump Organization and is currently managed by the president’s two eldest sons, Donald Jr. and Eric.
Among the products available is a “Trump 2028” T-shirt, along with “Trump 2028” hats and beer koozies. This merchandise is particularly notable because Trump has openly floated the idea of running for an unconstitutional third term. He told reporters on Air Force One last October that he “would love to do it.”
The Trump family’s business empire has grown far beyond a merchandise store
CREW reported that the Trump Store brought in $8.8 million in 2024, the same year Trump was elected for his second term. That figure comes from Trump’s last published financial records. The store sells a wide range of items, including “USA” caps, a “Trump was right about everything” cap, a T-shirt featuring Trump’s 2023 Fulton County mugshot with the word “Daddy” on it, a pastel Trump pickleball paddle for $180, and Trump coffee pods for $18.
By last August, Trump and his family had made an estimated $3.4 billion from his two presidential terms. This stands in sharp contrast to how past presidents handled their finances. Harry Truman refused to lend his name to any business even after leaving office, Richard Nixon had his brother’s phone tapped to stop him from profiting off their connection, and George W. Bush sold his individual stock holdings before taking office.
Trump has also drawn attention for other unexpected moments at his properties, such as when a wild animal was spotted at Mar-a-Lago. The White House has consistently denied any wrongdoing. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “The claims that this President has profited from his time in office are absolutely absurd.” She added, “The President has lost hundreds of millions of dollars to serve this country.”
The White House also stated that “President Trump has always practiced integrity and transparency, which is why he is and has been forthcoming in sharing his financial disclosures.” The Trump Organization has also seen its fastest overseas expansion since its founding a century ago. In just over a year into Trump’s second term, the organization sealed eight deals in foreign countries.
A Trump golf club project in Qatar is being partly developed by a Qatari government-owned company, reports PBS News. In Vietnam, the country’s deputy prime minister reportedly signed off on a Trump resort deal. In Saudi Arabia, a planned “Trump Plaza” resort is being built by a developer with close ties to the ruling family.
Whether these deals influenced U.S. policies, such as technology access for Qatar or tariff relief for Vietnam, is hard to prove, but the Trump Organization earned tens of millions in fees. The Trump family has also moved heavily into cryptocurrency. Their venture, World Liberty Financial, sold nearly half of the company to a UAE government-linked firm for $500 million just days before Trump’s inauguration.
A UAE government fund then invested $2 billion in the crypto exchange Binance using a stablecoin issued by World Liberty, allowing the Trump company to earn tens of millions in interest. Shortly after, the Trump administration reversed a Biden-era restriction, giving the UAE access to advanced U.S. chips.
Binance’s founder, Changpeng Zhao, later received a pardon from Trump despite having pleaded guilty for failing to stop criminals from using his platform. A lawyer for Zhao denied any link between the business deals and the pardon, while the White House called Zhao’s prosecution “The Biden Administration’s war on crypto.”
Donald Jr. and Eric have also invested in several companies seeking government contracts, including an armed drone maker, a rocket motor company, an AI chip supplier, and a data analytics firm, which are reportedly receiving tens of millions in taxpayer money.
Eric Trump said, “I am incredibly proud to invest in companies I believe in,” while a spokesman for Donald Jr. said he doesn’t “interface” with the government about his portfolio companies. Columbia University historian Timothy Naftali summarized the broader concern: “Whatever constraints there were in the first term appear to have completely disappeared.”
Princeton historian Julian Zelizer added, “I don’t think there’s any line right now between policy decisions and political calculations and the interest of the Trump family.” Trump has also made headlines for nearly naming the Gulf of Mexico after himself, later claiming he was joking. His net worth, according to Forbes, has risen 60% since he returned to office, now estimated at $6.3 billion.
Published: Apr 15, 2026 01:49 pm