The "grifter in chief." intends to sell a full suite of airport-branded merchandise:.........

[riversedge]

Occupy Democrats
@OccupyDemocrats
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9h
BREAKING: GRIFTING ALERT! Trump moves to trademark airport bearing his name — and cash in while still in office.

Just when you thought that Donald Trump’s self-dealing couldn’t get any worse, his company has filed trademark applications for “Donald J. Trump International Airport” — the very name Florida lawmakers are trying to slap onto Palm Beach International Airport, just minutes from Mar-a-Lago.

While a GOP-backed bill to rename the publicly owned airport inches through the Florida legislature — at a taxpayer cost of roughly $5.5 million for new signs, uniforms, and equipment — Trump’s private holding company, DTTM Operations LLC, is already positioning itself to profit from it.

The trademark applications would allow Trump to sell a full suite of airport-branded merchandise: luggage, handbags, watches, jewelry, clothing, tie clips — even items stamped with “DJT,” which could become the new airport code.

Trademark attorney Josh Gerben called the move “completely unprecedented.”

Presidents have had buildings named after them before. But a sitting president using his private company to secure trademark rights in advance — so he can monetize a public airport bearing his own name? That’s new.

The applications were filed on an “intent to use” basis, essentially asking the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to pre-approve the branding. And a tweak to the Florida Senate bill now requires Palm Beach County to enter into a licensing agreement with whoever owns the name rights.

In other words, the county may get the name for free, but Trump could still collect a cut from merchandise sales or sell the branded products himself.

Critics have already dubbed him “grifter in chief.” This latest move certainly won’t quiet them.

Since returning to office, Trump has launched a renaming spree — from rebranding landmarks to remaking the White House in gold. Now, the branding machine appears to be taxiing toward takeoff.

The question isn’t just whether Florida lawmakers will sign off. It’s whether the presidency has officially become a merchandising opportunity.

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