Jimmy Kimmel orders a bunch of official Trump merchandise, notices something pretty off-brand
"Donald Trump and his fellow Republicans suffered a major loss in Pennsylvania last night," with Democrat Conor Lamb beating Republican Rick Saccone in a district President Trump won by 20 points, Jimmy Kimmel said on Wednesday's Kimmel Live. The White House says the election was "essentially a tie," Kimmel laughed, "but it's not a tie, it's a loss. If it was a tie, it would be scotch-taped to Donald Trump's shirt and manufactured in China."
A week earlier, Trump had "made a very blatant attempt to woo voters in Pennsylvania by calling for heavy tariffs on foreign aluminum and steel," Kimmel said. "Trump, as you know, wants to focus on America, American-made products and goods. And so I wondered, because I agree with that, how things were going on his family website," run by Trump sons Eric and Don. Jr.? "These guys are red, white, and blue to the core — they're like a couple of flags wearing hair gel," Kimmel said. So he logged on to the official Trump store, "and even though my wife was yelling at me the whole time I was on the site, saying, 'Don't order anything from that,' I ordered a bunch of stuff."
Kimmel brought out the box. Don Jr. included a nice thank you note, but most of the Trump-branded merch was made in — where else? — China. Two of the items — a gold bar piggy bank and a dog neckerchief — did not list a country of origin, however, which is illegal (at least if they were made abroad) and subject to steep penalties. "Trump's whole platform is about supporting American companies," Kimmel said. "His companies aren't even supporting America. You know what I'm going to do? I'm sure Eric and Don Jr. didn't know about this, I'm sure this was a simple oversight. I'll just file an official complaint and let them sort it out." Watch below. Peter Weber
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Kemi Badenoch's 'policy void'
Talking Point Conservative leader must convince voters the party has more to offer than the 'same old magic beans'
By The Week UK Published
-
Should Los Angeles rebuild its fire-prone neighbourhoods?
Talking Point The latest devastating wildfires must be a wake-up call for Los Angels to 'move away from fire-prone suburban sprawl'
By The Week UK Published
-
Sudoku hard: January 26, 2025
The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
US port strike averted with tentative labor deal
Speed Read The strike could have shut down major ports from Texas to Maine
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden expected to block Japanese bid for US Steel
Speed Read The president is blocking the $14 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel by Japan's Nippon Steel, citing national security concerns
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Judges block $25B Kroger-Albertsons merger
Speed Read The proposed merger between the supermarket giants was stalled when judges overseeing two separate cases blocked the deal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Rupert Murdoch loses 'Succession' court battle
Speed Read Murdoch wanted to give full control of his empire to son Lachlan, ensuring Fox News' right-wing editorial slant
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Bitcoin surges above $100k in post-election rally
Speed Read Investors are betting that the incoming Trump administration will embrace crypto
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Enron mystery: 'sick joke' or serious revival?
Speed Read 23 years after its bankruptcy filing, the Texas energy firm has announced its resurrection
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US charges Indian tycoon with bribery, fraud
Speed Read Indian billionaire Gautam Adani has been indicted by US prosecutors for his role in a $265 million scheme to secure solar energy deals
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Boeing machinists approve contract, end strike
Speed Read The company's largest union approved the new contract offer, ending a seven-week strike
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published