Shooting-Hoody Tees featuring Donald Trump Surface on Chinese E-Commerce Platforms
Just a weekend ago, the world witnessed an attempt on the life of former President Donald Trump, with images of the incident splashed across international headlines and internet corners. Now, opportunistic Chinese retailers have taken it a step further by putting T-shirts featuring the moment on the internet – and they’re only going for as little as $4!
Following the assassination attempt at a Trump rally on Saturday, Chinese retailers jumped onto Taobao and JD.com, China’s largest e-commerce platforms, to profit from the images. The T-shirts come in a variety of designs, including slogans like "Make America Great Again" and "Shooting Makes Me Stronger".
According to screenshots shared online, the shirts used photos that captured the moment, including one taken by Associated Press photographer Evan Vucci, one of the most indelible images from the event. While the power of these images was recognized worldwide, Chinese manufacturers were well-positioned to quickly capitalize on this trending moment.
By Monday, the availability of these T-shirts became sporadic, with searches for "Trump T-shirt" on JD and Taobao no longer yielding results – until, that is, online sleuths discovered alternative search terms, such as a popular Chinese nickname for Trump, "Trump Jianguo".
It’s unclear why these T-shirts were temporarily pulled, but China’s domestic internet and censorship system may have played a role, particularly given the potential for copyright concerns. The Associated Press has also asserted its rights to the photo.
An AP journalist did, however, manage to order a T-shirt featuring the moment for 61 yuan ($8), despite initial skepticism, while another shop offered five different designs, including images from Saturday’s rally, for a mere 34.9 yuan ($4).
China’s entrepreneurial spirit in relation to Trump’s name goes back to the 2020 US election, with much of his campaign merchandise made in the Chinese wholesale center, Yiwu. Alibaba, which owns Taobao, and JD.com have yet to respond to inquiries.
For now, shoppers on the Chinese e-commerce platforms continue to snap up these controversial Tees, further blurring the line between business and controversy.
