US Politics
Trump uses Cabinet meeting to promote his $55 America’s 250th birthday hats
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The White House used the latest cabinet meeting to display bright red, $55 hats sold by the president’s family company in honor of the upcoming American 250th anniversary celebrations, the latest way the Republican has blurred the lines between government business and private profits.
Each Cabinet official had a hat placed in front of them at the meeting, along with a presidential challenge coin. The president reportedly signed some of the hats.
The caps feature an embroidered image of Mount Rushmore, a bald eagle, the Statue of Liberty, and the Liberty Bell.
They are available for purchase on the Trump Store, a for-profit site hawking everything from Trump’s signature Make America Great Again caps to Trump-branded shot glasses and anti-aging kits.
“A bold tribute to 250 years of American pride, this USA 250 Anniversary Hat is made for those who carry the spirit of the red, white, and blue wherever they go,” the site says of the hat. “Whether you’re celebrating the milestone or wearing it year-round, it’s a bold expression of freedom, unity, and unmistakable American pride.”
Since taking office, the Trump Store has launched more than 600 products, according to the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.
“This is an unprecedented level of monetization of the presidency, even by the standards of Trump’s own first term,” the group wrote in an April report.
The Independent has contacted the White House and the Trump Organization for comment.
The president has made at least $1.4 billion since taking office, and his overall net worth has risen to about $6.5 billion as of March 2026, according to Forbes, nearly triple his 2024 net worth.
Much of this windfall has been a result of the Trump family’s World Liberty Financial crypto business.
Outside of the merch display, the Cabinet meeting contained a few other notable moments.
Speaking about the potential impact of the Iran war on the midterms, the president brushed off concerns that the highly unpopular war could impact the GOP.
“I don’t care about the midterms,” he said, adding, “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. I’m doing that for the world.”
Elsewhere during the meeting, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mulling responded to questions about a protest and a hunger strike at an ICE facility where Democratic Senator Andy Kim was pepper-sprayed on Monday.
Mullin said the incident “shows radical left Democrats’ priorities” and claimed striking detainees “want their ethnic right food…but this isn’t a Holiday Inn.”