“Laughing All the Way to the Bank”: Trump again cashing in on a 'side-hustle playing off MAGA patriotism': report

Donald Trump’s latest business venture a gold-plated smartphone serviced by his new Trump Mobile carrier is drawing sharp criticism and sparking debate over the merging of politics and personal profit. Just days after the high-profile launch, marketing experts are weighing in on what they see as a strategic “side-hustle” that plays directly into Trump’s MAGA brand.

According to a Guardian report, Trump Mobile offers a gold smartphone for an initial monthly fee of $47.45. The announcement has prompted scrutiny not only over the product itself but over Trump’s continued blending of business and politics during his presidency.

Marketing expert Mark Borkowski told The Guardian, “There was a lot of dialog when Trump returned to power that we would see in this term a particularly interesting residency in the White House about how much money would be made,” adding, “and this is a typical Trump side-hustle playing off Maga patriotism.”

As the article’s author Edward Helmore noted, celebrity-endorsed phones are nothing new, and the Trump family already known for branding everything from steaks and vodka to real estate and a failed university seems to be pushing the envelope further.

Helmore added that “the blurred lines between business and politics, impacting how candidates are portrayed, policies are shaped and voters engage with the political process commonly referred to as the commercialization of politics may not be Trump’s to own exclusively, but he’s taken it to a new level.”

Borkowski echoed that sentiment, explaining that Trump’s base not only tolerates this approach but embraces it. “It’s a new hyper-reality that exists in America,” he said. “It’s about turning political fandom into money, and he’s laughing all the way to the bank. He’s doing exactly what was expected.

Nobody in Trump’s heartland sees this as damaging it’s what they expect a deal-maker to do. The absurdity of everything Trump does is the point.”

Branding expert Zak Revskyi also weighed in, noting that Trump’s business pursuits are part of a broader strategy to reinforce his political image.

“The Trumps’ continued business expansion often serves to reinforce Trump’s political persona rather than distract from it,” he said.

“For Maga supporters, his business ventures are interpreted as proof of his self-made success and outsider status both key pillars of his political brand.” For Trump, critics say, the business of politics remains just that a business.

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