We’re all familiar with the “Make America Great Again” hats made famous nearly 10 years ago during Donald Trump’s first successful bid for president. But what about graphic T-shirts with an image of Trump riding an elephant captioned “Daddy’s home?” What about boxy baseball caps that say “I voted for the convicted felon?”
Trump supporters made themselves known throughout Washington, D.C., on inauguration week in, shall we say, eye-catching apparel.
At any given moment, I felt like I was witnessing the aftermath of a Trump rally, crossed with a Super Bowl, crossed with Walmart in rural Wisconsin on Black Friday.
Don’t get me wrong. I also saw some tasteful peacoats and khaki trousers. I paid silent respect to a spattering of stylish fur coats on the streets of D.C. But I was struck by the gaudy, very commercialized Trump memorabilia being worn and sold throughout the city.
As I saw so much red, it dawned on me that Trump is a brand in the way that previous commanders-in-chief were not. I mean, I’ve never seen anyone wearing a T-shirt of George W. Bush captioned “Fool me once.”
The Trump branding in Washington last weekend did not begin or end with clothing.
I saw grown men with their faces painted red, adorned with cardboard cutouts of Trump’s stank face on the back of their heads.
I saw children with Trump flags, not American flags, draped around them.
I saw indoctrination through drip.
Scott Bedbury, Nike’s former advertising director and Starbucks’ former chief marketing officer, is quoted as saying that good branding seeks to become a part of one’s definition of self.
“A brand is a metaphorical story that connects with something very deep — a fundamental appreciation of mythology,” according to Bedbury. “Stories create the emotional context people need to locate themselves in a larger experience.
I venture to say that Trump’s brand desires to invoke patriotism, but not Uncle Sam patriotism. Instead, Trump merchandise seeks to display “Wild West” patriotism. “Outlaw” patriotism. “Don’t tread on me” patriotism.
But since when do costumes and caricatures represent what it means to be an American?
Trump’s brand engages in a deceptive aim to promote freedom, when in reality, Trump’s policies seek to regulate people’s bodies, regulate the history that can be taught in schools and regulate who is considered eligible to be an American.
It is important to consider, however, that Trump’s brand of patriotism and Americana is a far cry from his origins as a business magnet, promoting luxury and high-end elegance.
“The Trump Brand is a lifestyle brand that inspires you to think big and push the boundaries,” the Trump Organization website reads. “The brand is bold, beautiful and glamorous. From the most exceptional fleet of private jets to world-class dining and high-end retail, there are unforgettable experiences at every turn.”
Interesting. Trump’s official business brand is one of inaccessible luxury. Yet his political brand is one of camouflage-clad grittiness.
I do not mean to generalize. I know Trump supporters come in many forms and represent themselves in diverse ways. Nevertheless, seeing so many Trump supporters concentrated in one city for the prime reason of celebrating Trump’s return to the White House forced me to consider what the Trump brand means for the definition of patriotism and partisanism.
Chandler Marsh, a young adult member of the Seventh Adventist Church, was in Washington for Trump’s inauguration. He was not wearing a MAGA hat, but he was wearing a hat with American flags on it.
He said he does not own a MAGA hat.
“One shouldn’t need to wear a political movement’s merchandise to feel patriotic,” Marsh said.
I could not agree more.
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