T.J. Maxx, Marshalls direct employees to throw away all Ivanka Trump brand signs

Employees at T.J. Maxx and Marshalls were told last week to remove all Ivanka Trump brand signage and bury the brand's products deep within the racks, The New York Times reported Wednesday, citing a note obtained from the retailers' parent company TJX Companies. "Effective immediately, please remove all Ivanka Trump merchandise from features and mix into the runs," the note read, referring to "the normal clothing racks where the majority of products hang," The New York Times explained. "All Ivanka Trump signs should be discarded."

TJX Companies spokeswoman Doreen Thompson confirmed employees were directed to "mix this line of merchandise into our racks," but she made it clear they did not "remove it from the sales floor." "We offer a rapidly changing selection of merchandise for our customers, and brands are featured based on a number of factors," Thompson said.

The New York Times noted Thompson "did not respond directly to questions" about whether it was "unusual" to throw away signs promoting a specific brand, but an employee at one of the company's stores said she had never before "received such a request during her several years at the company."

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The news about TJX Companies follows Nordstrom's announcement last week that it would no longer be selling Ivanka Trump brand merchandise "based on performance," not politics. Shortly after Nordstrom's announcement, Neiman Marcus appeared to have pulled Ivanka Trump jewelry from its website.

President Trump on Wednesday criticized Nordstrom on Twitter for treating his daughter "so unfairly." Ivanka Trump announced last month she would be taking a "formal leave of absence" from her companies after her father took office.