Trump Hotel gift shop controversy is going viral after a video revealed most Trump Store products are made in China and other countries—not the USA. Despite President Donald Trump’s strong “America First” message, items like hats, shirts, and pullovers sold at the Trump International Hotel in D.C. are traced back to factories in China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Pakistan. Americans are now mocking the contradiction, questioning the authenticity of Trump’s pro-USA manufacturing claims.
Trump Hotel’s gift shop under fire as majority of products trace back to Chinese factories, Americans mock as video goes viral on social media: The story surrounding the Trump Hotel’s gift shop is going viral, and not in a flattering way. Despite President Donald Trump’s loud push for “America First” and bringing jobs back to the U.S., a viral video is exposing a different reality inside his own business. The Trump Store—located inside the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C.—is now being criticized for selling a large number of products that are made overseas, including in China.
The video, originally posted on X by user @thinking_panda, quickly gained traction as it revealed a surprising detail: many Trump-branded items were labeled as made in China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Pakistan—despite Trump’s ongoing political message that strongly promotes American manufacturing.
Are Trump Store items really made in China?
A closer look inside the Trump Hotel gift shop shows that many of the products carrying the Trump name aren’t actually made in the U.S. For example, the $32 Trump-branded golf hat is made in Bangladesh. A fleece pullover priced at $50 comes from Pakistan. There’s also an $80 Greg Norman golf pullover manufactured in Vietnam.
Even the personal care items, like Trump-branded conditioner and body butter, aren’t American-made—they come from Canada.
It’s not just the in-store items. The Trump Store’s website also lists goods that are imported. Some products are labeled as “Decorated in the USA” rather than “Made in the USA,” a key difference that isn’t always obvious to customers. One eye-catching example? A 12-inch stuffed toy dog named “Charlie the Beagle” sells for $35 under the Trump brand—while a nearly identical toy without Trump branding sells for just $7.61 online.
How does this compare to Trump’s ‘America First’ policy?
Here’s where the backlash is heating up. President Trump has repeatedly championed the “America First” agenda—calling for the U.S. to rely less on foreign goods and bring back American manufacturing jobs. This has been a central message in both of his presidential terms and was a huge part of his campaign promises.
But critics now say that Trump’s own businesses don’t reflect those same values. The fact that so many Trump-branded items are made in foreign factories directly clashes with his strong pro-U.S. manufacturing stance.
This isn’t a new issue, either. Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel previously highlighted this contradiction when he purchased items from Trump’s online store. According to Kimmel, many products arrived with unclear or missing country-of-origin labels—something that could even be a violation of labeling regulations.
What are people saying online?
Social media users didn’t hold back once the video surfaced. The post by @thinking_panda sparked thousands of reactions, with many mocking the inconsistency between the President’s message and the reality in his business operations. Terms like “Made in China” quickly started trending alongside “America First,” with people pointing out the irony.
One user commented, “Trump wants Americans to buy American, but he won’t even stock American-made goods in his own hotel?” Others shared similar stories of buying Trump merchandise and being surprised by foreign manufacturing tags.
This isn’t just a PR hiccup—it’s turning into a wider discussion about the authenticity of Trump’s messaging. For a president who built his brand around American pride and domestic industry, these revelations about his hotel’s gift shop are raising eyebrows across the political spectrum.
What does this mean for the ‘America First’ image?
This controversy strikes at the heart of Trump’s political identity. While he continues to push policies aimed at boosting American factories and reducing dependence on countries like China, the fact that his own products rely heavily on foreign production could weaken his credibility on the issue.
Supporters might argue that global supply chains are complex and hard to avoid. But critics say that if anyone should lead by example, it’s the President—especially when his name is literally printed on the products.
