Selling Trump: Profitable enterprise like no other
In early December, Donald Trump put on a tuxedo and boarded the private jet of a scrapmetal magnate and cryptominer for a short flight across Florida, touching down at an airport in Naples. There, a long, red carpet marked the pathway into a Christmas-decorated hangar filled with supporters of Trump who had paid $10,000 to $30,000 for the privilege of attending a party and taking a photo with him.
The event had all the trappings of a typical highend fundraiser: a giant American flag, a lectern, chandeliers and an open bar. Frank Stallone's band provided the music; an anti-Biden “Let's Go Brandon” banner hung from the rafters.
But the money raised did not go to Trump's political operation. Instead, Trump's share of the evening's proceeds went straight into his pocket, according to a person familiar with the arrangement.
Multiple attendees said they bought their tickets from a private company, Whip Fundraising, whose founder, Brad Keltner, has asserted that “the lion's share” went to charity. But the website advertising the event listed no charitable cause. And Keltner, reached by phone, declined to discuss how money was distributed.
In the year since Trump has left the White House, he has undertaken a wideranging set of moneymaking ventures, trading repeatedly on his political fame and fan base in pursuit of profit. Much as he did while in the White House, Trump has thoroughly blurred the lines between his political ambitions and his business interests.
He has gone on an arena tour with former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly, where a backstage “VIP package” sold for more than $7,500. He has published a $75 coffee-table book, after being paid a multimillion-dollar advance by a new publishing company co-founded by his eldest son. He has turned an online Trump store into a MAGA merchandiser.
That store is now selling red “Make America Great Again” hats for $50 each — a $20 markup from the price currently offered by his political action committee — with all proceeds going to a Trump-owned company.
His wife, Melania, has gotten into the act, too, auctioning off online collectibles and scheduling her own big-ticket event in Naples this April with a portion going to charity.
For Trump, the monetization of his post-presidency represents a return to his roots. He expertly leveraged his celebrity as the host of “The Apprentice” and his image as a decisive businessman to build credibility when he first entered politics. Now he is executing the same playbook, only in reverse: converting a political following that provided hundreds of millions of dollars in small campaign contributions into a base of consumers for all things branded Trump.
There are grandiose enterprises, such as a fledgling social media company, whose billion-dollar market capitalization is largely predicated on Trump's direct personal involvement.
“You come here, you drink Trump,” said Daniel Popescu, a 79-year-old architect and a bar regular, whose typical order is a $20 glass of Trump Blanc de Blanc sparkling wine. He hailed Trump on a recent evening as “the best president.”
“For a billionaire to give up his life to do good for the country,” Popescu said, with a shake of his head and a sip, “it's unbelievable.”
Other past presidents have cashed in financially after leaving the White House. Barack and Michelle Obama reportedly sold a joint book deal for $65 million. Bill and Hillary Clinton's speechmaking after leaving the White House was estimated to have netted them $153 million by the spring of 2015, when Hillary Clinton announced her own run for president.
George W. Bush has been a mainstay on the speaking circuit, too.
But no former president has been more determined to meld his business interests — from chocolate bars to real estate to a tech startup — with a continuing political operation and capitalize on that for personal gain.