Strange Things About Melania Trump's Online Shop

When Melania Knauss married Donald Trump, she acquired his ambitions along with his last name. Amid her husband's third presidential race, she has taken an interest in merchandising. Just as Trump promotes his collectible sneakers, watches, NFTs, crypto, and a church-and-state-muddling Bible that includes the Declaration of Independence, so too is Melania selling her own line of artwork and jewelry through her two online outlets, melaniatrump.com and USACollectibles.com. Though her sales pitches on social media are much more subdued than Donald's — she doesn't go on about election fraud or making America great again — the message is still the same: If you're a true patriot, you'll buy my products to show you want us back in the White House.

True, it's unusual for presidential candidates and their families to be so deeply invested in their own branding; imagine Abraham Lincoln selling "Four Score & 7 Years" caps or George Washington lending his name to a line of wigs. But the Trumps' merch sales aren't illegal, and the funds aren't being directly used for the campaign. Still, there are some aspects of Melania's shop that might not sit well with some. Read on to see why.

Trump family products are typically characteristic of the individual seller. Eric Trump's winery is a luxe Virginia spread featuring award-winning Cabernets and Viogniers. Ivanka Trump's jewelry line, while it lasted, featured both upscale pieces and budget-friendly baubles that just looked expensive. Even Donald Trump's many collectibles reflect his personality; what other president would sell cards featuring his mugshot and a scrap of a suit he wore at a debate?

But most of the items in Melania Trump's online store seem disconnected from the former first lady. It's hard to imagine her attending a fundraiser wearing an oversized gold-plated Liberty coin pendant or an engraved cloverleaf necklace that looks like it came out of a gumball machine. Considering her taste in Christmas décor, her signature ornaments also look inauthentic. Would she really put a whimsical toy-bearing train on one of her infamous red trees? Then there's her digital portrait series that purportedly celebrates Women's History Month. The three watercolor paintings of Melania claim to represent the womanly attributes of strength, confidence, and inspiration, but they just come off as a vanity showpiece. Maybe she just really doesn't care about the items she's plugging. (Do U?)

Melania Trump has a closet full of Dior and Dolce & Gabbana, travels by private jet, and thinks nothing of dining at exclusive restaurants like Jean-Georges when she's not trying gourmet fare at Mar-a-Lago. It stands to reason she wouldn't want to have her name associated with anything tacky — no novelty T-shirts or knockoff handbags for her. But almost all the items on the former first lady's website are more like splurges than bargains. The cloverleaf necklace Melania introduced on Mother's Day 2024 sells for $245, and the coin-inspired "Vote Freedom" pendant will set fans back $600. 

Want to decorate your Christmas tree in patriotic style? Each holiday ornament in Melania's USA Memorabilia collection costs either $75 or $90; you could get two or three Hallmark ornaments for that price, or a few dozen trimmings from Dollar Tree. And Melania's much-buzzed-about memoir? Sure, you could pick up "Melania" on Amazon for less than $30, but a true MAGA wouldn't settle for anything less than the deluxe signed collector's edition, featuring extra photographs, for $250.

Considering the economy is one of the top issues the Trump campaign is addressing, the hefty price tag for Melania merch comes across as tone-deaf at best and hypocritical at worst. How can you rant against the cost of eggs and gas one minute and urge your supporters to drop a hundred bucks on a brass tchotchke the next?

If all the proceeds from sales of Melania Trump's jewelry and autographed books were going to a worthy cause, it might be worth digging into one's wallet. But neither of the sales platforms explains who gets all that money. The only hint visible on Melania's personal website is a mention of Fostering the Future, the initiative she launched during her tenure as first lady. The organization "secures educational opportunities and scholarships for children in the foster care community," according to the site. Specifically, FtF helps send kids to tech schools to gain marketable computer science skills. (Presumably, foster teens with ambitions of becoming a doctor or teacher will have to look elsewhere for help.)

Nowhere in the marketing of Melania's merchandise does it mention whether any portion of sales goes to Fostering the Future, or to any charitable cause, for that matter. There is, however, a link to an email "for individuals looking to donate." If buying a flag ornament or NFT portrait would help an at-risk youth go to college, one might think Melania and her team would want to make that point loud and clear. But without that assurance, it just appears as though the only future the former POTUS is fostering is the size of her bank account.