Trump Wine, cider piles up in US military facilities

After President Trump's store selling hoodies, blankets, accessories and footwear, the second-term monetization efforts of the Trump Organization has reached the aisles of military exchanges, as Coast Guard-run stores, which provide service members and their families with access to tax-free consumer goods, have stocked Trump-branded wine and cider, according to a report by Forbes.

Trump-branded wine and cider are seen stocked up in Coast Guard Exchanges at its headquarters in Washington, D.C., and in Centreville, Virginia, as per a photo released on Instagram.

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The Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin also confirmed to Forbes that the exchanges were carrying Trump wines, saying, “The brave men and women of the USCG are pleased to be able to buy Trump wine and cider tax-free.”

Trump's business has left no stone unturned in capitalizing on his second-term presidency, from using his presidential seal on golf markers at his courses to selling a $75 coffee table book that showcases pictures by his official White House photographer. The Trump wine and cider are among the few times Trump products have been sold at a government facility.

Though the Instagram post has raised widespread controversies over Trump wine in military exchanges, it seems legal. “This is one of those things where there probably isn’t any legal issue, but there is an optics and an ethics issue,” Jordan Libowitz, a spokesperson for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a government watchdog, told Forbes.

He also noted that whether the sales violate the Constitution’s domestic emoluments clause—which prohibits presidents from receiving government benefits beyond their salary—depends on how the wine is purchased. In the US, the president and vice president are exempt from most federal conflict-of-interest laws.

“You don’t want to see the military essentially playing sides,” Libowitz told Forbes. “Are they going to try to make money for other presidents? It’s a weird thing.”

As per Forbes' estimates, Trump’s net worth has jumped about $3 billion in the past year, mainly backed by cryptocurrency, making his balance sheet stronger than it has ever been, with an estimated $1.1 billion of liabilities and $8.4 billion of assets, $1.1 billion of which are in liquid holdings.

The Trump Organization’s e-commerce outlet, TrumpStore.com, initially shied away from presidential-themed swag during his first term. However, the store now has an entire 45-47 collection on the theme.

Furthermore, the Trump Organization announced the release of the second edition of a silver coin 'The Second Edition Silver Medallion.' The e-commerce body is selling the coin for up to $460 with the front showing Trump in profile with “president of the United States” emblazoned underneath.


However, Forbes could not find how long the Coast Guard Exchanges have carried Trump wine, what quantity they have sold and the full extent to which other military exchanges and government facilities sell Trump products. Clerks at the two confirmed stores told Forbes that they were sold out, with one adding that they do not expect to restock it.