President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have taken a stand against the NFL. That’s a bad pun to reference the president and vice president’s feelings about NFL players silently protesting police brutality and inequality in America by taking a knee during the national anthem. The president has made his feelings on the matter clear on Twitter and elsewhere. The vice president left a game early in protest.
The NFL players are at it again – taking a knee when they should be standing proudly for the National Anthem. Numerous players, from different teams, wanted to show their “outrage” at something that most of them are unable to define. They make a fortune doing what they love……
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2018
So, it’s interesting that the Trump Make American Great Again Committee, an official fundraising organization for the Trump campaign, released its latest piece of merchandise: a football jersey with the number 45 (representing Trump as the 45th president) and the message “Stand Up for America” on the front, with the name “Trump” on the back where a player’s name would usually go:
A Donald Trump website is selling "Stand Up For America" football jerseys https://t.co/iNZgnOuzsN pic.twitter.com/eLabPr12jh
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) October 9, 2018
It’s currently selling for $99 on the Trump merchandise shop.
The national anthem controversy has become a focal point for Donald Trump. It’s a constant source of Twitter anger for the president and his supporters, and has become a talking point for the administration.
What’s most noteworthy here is that, according to the New York Post, the item was introduced on Sept. 7, the day after the NFL season started and Colin Kaepernick was introduced as the focus of a Nike ad campaign.
“Our theme originated out of President Trump’s love for the American flag and his fervent belief that Americans should always stand for our National Anthem,” Lara Trump, senior advisor for Donald J. Trump for President Inc. and wife of the president’s son, Eric Trump, told the New York Post.
Whatever your feelings on the president, it’s difficult to deny that his campaign knows precisely how to market to his base using promotional merchandise. Make America Great Again caps were integral to Trump’s 2016 election victory (and have raised untold dollars for the campaign), while these jerseys seem designed expressly for Trump supporters who want to simultaneously show support for the president and voice displeasure with the NFL—a large and vocal customer-base.
The NFL season has been going for a month now, and we personally haven’t seen any of these in the stands during any games we’ve seen on TV, but perhaps it’s only a matter of time. It wouldn’t be surprising to see members of the Trump family or the president himself wearing the jersey during a football-themed event.
