After selling Bibles, sneakers, photo books and cryptocurrency during his third campaign for president, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump announced launching a new business venture: diamond-encrusted watches.
The “Official Trump Watch Collection”, unveiled on Thursday, boasts of models with 122 diamonds on its bezel and available in three 18-karat gold styles, costing $100,000.
Another “Fight Fight Fight” model is listed at $499.
The former president has hawked a series of branded products since he launched his 2024 White House campaign, following his long tradition of melding his political and business interests. Thursday’s launch, coming 40 days before Election Day, could open him up to criticism about monetizing his campaign, particularly as he makes an argument that Vice President Kamala Harris is out of touch with Americans’ economic struggles, AP reported.
While websites for the various products note that proceeds from their sales do not directly benefit Trump or his campaign, they also note that each is subject to a “paid license agreement.”
That’s the same mechanism that allowed Trump, well before he entered politics, to profit for years from sales of everything from water, vodka and steaks.
Earlier this week, he announced the sale of $100 silver coins bearing his face.
In March, ahead of Easter, he released a video on Truth Social urging his supporters to spend $59.99 for a “God Bless the USA Bible,” inspired by country singer Lee Greenwood’s patriotic ballad.
He takes the stage to the song at each of his rallies and has appeared with Greenwood at events.
In February, he hawked his new branded sneakers at “Sneaker Con,” a gathering that bills itself as the “The Greatest Sneaker Show on Earth.”
The shoes, shiny gold high tops with an American flag detail on the back, are being sold as “Never Surrender High-Tops” for $399 on a new website that also sells other Trump-branded shoes and “Victory47” cologne and perfume for $99 a bottle.
The former president has also dabbled in NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, and last year reported earning between $100,000 and $1 million from a series of digital trading cards that portrayed him in cartoon-like images, including as an astronaut, a cowboy and a superhero.
Some of those items, including the coins, sneakers and Bibles, were listed as affiliated with CIC Ventures LLC, a company that Trump reported owning in his 2023 financial disclosure, has a similar arrangement with 45Footwear, which also says it uses Trump’s “name, likeness and image under paid license from CIC Ventures LLC, which license may be terminated or revoked according to its terms,” the AP report said.
The items have gone up for sale in the wake of a $489 million civil fraud judgment against the former president, which a New York appellate court on Thursday appeared to be open to reducing or reversing.
According to a disclaimer on a sales website, the watches are covered by a similar agreement to license his name, image and likeness, and proceeds from their sales do not go to Trump’s campaign or the Trump Organization and “are not designed, manufactured, distributed or sold by Donald J. Trump, The Trump Organization or any of their respective affiliates or principals.”
Instead, TheBestWatchesonEarth LLC — the company listed as the sales entity — says it uses the “‘Trump’ name, image and likeness under a paid license agreement which may be terminated or revoked according to its terms.
The watches are intended as collectable items for individual enjoyment only, not for investment purposes.”
AP said a spokesperson for the campaign referred its questions about the licensing deal to the Trump Organization, which did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
TheBestWatchesonEarth LLC also did not immediately respond to an inquiry on the deal via its website.
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