‘Trump Force 47,’ explained

Those ready and strong enough to recall the first (and hopefully only) Trump administration might remember such classics as “Space Force.” In late May 2024, candidate and convicted criminal Trump introduced “Trump Force 47” on his campaign website. Is it that a Trump-branded energy drink? Here’s what’s behind the proposal.

News of “Trump Force 47” came just days after Donald Trump was found guilty on all counts in a New York court for falsifying business records to cover up hush money paid to Stormy Daniels. In the first sentence, the Trump Force 47 announcement goes all in with Trump’s typically unhinged anti-Biden rhetoric:

In the wake of the rigged Biden Trial in New York, Team Trump and the Republican National Committee launched the Trump Force 47 grassroots organizing program to engage tens of thousands of new volunteers across the country to participate in a neighbor-to-neighbor organizing program hyper-focused on mobilizing highly-targeted voters in critical precincts across the battleground states and districts.”

via DonaldJTrump.com

The statement doesn’t clarify much more than that about the “grassroots” pro-Trump organization. It does link to Trumpforce47.com, which requests sign-up information and suggests several roles needed to help Trump (shudder, hopefully not) win in November, including “Be a Trump Captain,” “Host a Trump House Party,” and other options. (Checks calendar, shoot, we’re busy).

Trump Force 47, between the lines

The statement announcing Trump Force 47 adds, “It will leverage the manpower of state and local Republican parties and other organized right of center groups in addition to its own focused efforts to recruit, train, and organize volunteers who are assigned to turn out specifically targeted voters in their own precinct.”

So, Trump Force 47 sounds like a grassroots canvassing organization for the 2024 Trump campaign. Despite those few details, there’s a lot to unpack in the information provided about the possible priorities of the new group. First, the statement mentions “mobilizing highly-targeted voters in critical precincts,” and “specifically targeted voters.”

Trump recently held a poorly-attended rally in the South Bronx, in a blatant attempt to woo minority voters, with whom his campaign has reportedly made some inroads. So, it seems likely that’s what “highly targeted” and “specifically targeted” voters might mean: Black and Latino Americans in urban areas.

Or could Trump Force 47 be Donald Trump’s new MLM scheme? (It sure sounds like one.) Given Trump’s track record, we wouldn’t be surprised. We’ll have to wait and see.