If you were still hesitating what to ask for as a Christmas present, Donald Trump has the answer for you: a series of trading cards bearing his likeness, only 99 dollars each.
They will be “great artistic creations about my life and my career”, promised the billionaire, who published an example on Thursday: an image which shows him drawn in the style of a muscular comic book superhero, cast in a jumpsuit red and camped in a boxing ring.
It’s “like a baseball card” but “much more exciting”: the former president of the United States has drawn sarcasm from his opponents and embarrassment from some supporters.
On Wednesday, the Republican had published this enigmatic message: “America needs a superhero. I will make a MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT tomorrow. »
The press had begun to speculate: was he, for example, going to reveal his choice of running mate for the vice-presidency, in order to give some momentum to his campaign for the presidential election of 2024, seriously bogged down?
But no. In a message on his Truth Social network, the business magnate unveiled a collection of “Donald Trump digital cards”, on a model well known to sports fans, but in “NFT” version – that is to say under form of digital certificates of ownership.
Christmas gift
“Only $99 each!” A very good idea for a Christmas gift! Hurry up ! I think they will leave very quickly, ”assured the former president.
On a dedicated website, the businessman and former TV star, whose supporters are used to being inundated with emails asking for money, promises rewards for certain cardholders: a dinner in his ostentatious Florida residence or an hour of golf with him.
A quick tour of the site’s legal notices reveals that this operation is “not political” and has “nothing to do with a political campaign”.
This is a classic franchise operation: Donald Trump, who has boasted a lot about understanding the power of brands and the resources of marketing like no one else, is selling the right to use his name and image.
The announcement unsurprisingly delighted its opponents.
His niece Mary Trump, breaking with the former president and the Trump family, summed up their general feeling by tweeting “omfg”, or “Oh my f * cking God”, ” oh my fucking God “.
“He is losing his footing”, commented more soberly on a political columnist from the washington post Philip Bump, noting also that the former president is getting into NFTs at a time when this market is taking on water.
President Joe Biden, on his personal Twitter account, meanwhile parodied his predecessor by touting his own “MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENTS”, in this case a series of recent economic, diplomatic and political successes.
I had some MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENTS the last couple of weeks, too…
✔️ Inflation’s easing
✔️ I just signed the Respect for Marriage Act
✔️ We brought Brittney Griner home
✔️ Gas prices are lower than a year ago
✔️ 10,000 new high-paying jobs in Arizona—Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) December 15, 2022
Still on Twitter, a certain embarrassment was palpable on frankly right-oriented accounts.
Robby Starbuck, a politically active music video producer and director in Tennessee, wrote: “I like this guy but he turns a lot of people off. »
“Pokemon Cards”
Chad Prather, who presents himself as a comedian, and whose comments on Twitter take up the ideas of the radical right, asserted: “Our nation is getting the hell out and Donald Trump is selling Pokémon cards. No thanks. »
The announcement, with purely personal financial fallout, feeds the impression that Donald Trump is not very invested in his campaign, which is not taking off.
Since the announcement with great fanfare of his candidacy for the presidency of 2024 on November 16, Trump has not had a big meeting and has been going from controversy to legal trouble.
While he had hitherto had an almost total grip on the Republican Party, some tenors now publicly accuse him of having pushed too extreme candidates during the midterm elections in November.
The right did not succeed, during this election which involves the positions of federal parliamentarians but also of governors, in inflicting on the Democratic Party and President Joe Biden the slap it hoped for.
Recent polls also show that Donald Trump is currently outdistanced, in the heart of the Republican electorate, by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
This 40-year-old, who has just been triumphantly re-elected, combines an austere personality with radical positions on immigration and social issues.
With Agence France-Presse.