For $99 you can be the proud owner of Trump as an astronaut, race car driver, sheriff, or muscle-bound superhero with laser eyes. These are NFTs, non-fungible tokens, a digital object that is on the blockchain. It is therefore not replaceable.
“They are incredible pieces of art about my extraordinary life and career,” Donald Trump said in a video posted online Thursday. “They’re the perfect Christmas present.”
Fill your pockets
With the purchase of such an image you automatically participate in a raffle. You have the chance to win an exclusive dinner at his Mar-a-Lago country house or a round of golf with the superhero on one of his golf courses.
Trump’s first 45,000 digital cards are now sold out, according to his website, earning nearly $4.5 million. The income he earns from the sales is not used for the campaign, according to correspondent Erik Mouthaan.
“Even the money Trump raises with these NFTs and paid speeches doesn’t go into his campaign coffers, it goes straight into his pockets.”
Mocking
Friend and foe alike have reacted with surprise and frustration to the announcement of digital maps. President Biden mocked Trump’s “big announcement” on Twitter with a list of his big announcements.
It mentions the return of American basketball player Brittney Griner and the signing of a law protecting same-sex marriage.
Furthermore, the criticisms are further mounting within the Republican Party. Trump’s top supporters had hoped for big political news. They think he should focus on his campaign and not digital images.
Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon says of the images on his WarRoom podcast: “I can’t take it anymore. Whoever told Trump to do this should be fired.”
And Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer, also rails against the ex-president’s new venture. For example, he wrote in a Twitter post: “How many times do I have to say this before I get it? …he’s all part of the big Trump scam. He’s nothing but a con artist, a con man and a hustler. ”
Trump as a brand
It’s common for a former president to try to make money, Mouthaan says. “Trump does it in a unique way. He continues to be someone who sells himself as a brand.”
Since leaving the White House, Trump has struck a multimillion-dollar deal to give paid speeches at rallies bearing his name. But they are not well attended and several events have been cancelled, writes the American newspaper The Washington Post. The organizer behind the meetings is in financial trouble and many parties involved are still waiting for their money.
Confusion among voters
What makes selling the digital maps difficult is the fact that Trump has officially declared his candidacy for president. “He’s not just another ex-president on the nibbler circuit,” says Mouthaan. “And then it seems strange that he’s trying to sell crazy stuff while he’s also asking voters to donate money to his campaign. This can be confusing for voters.”
“He can also drive his own campaign in wheels,” he continues. “Trump fans are going to think ‘I bought something from Trump the other day anyway, I gave my support’ without realizing they aren’t helping the campaign.”
It’s unclear what Trump will use the proceeds from the pictures for. A judicial investigation into classified government documents Trump took with him when he left the White House is currently underway. Trump’s company was also found guilty of tax evasion.
