MAGA merch is ‘just not worth a crap anymore,’ according to sellers

MAGA merch is ‘just not worth a crap anymore,’ according to sellers Some MAGA stores have even had to close permanently due to weak sales - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Sales of MAGA merchandise have nosedived in some retail stores across the U.S., with sellers attributing the slump to the state of the economy under President Donald Trump. Many retailers specializing in Trump-related clothing and memorabilia have seen sales drop as the president’s approval rating has also plummeted amid the war in Iran, and as Americans continue to struggle with the cost of living, the Wall Street Journal reports. Some MAGA stores have even had to close permanently due to weak sales, according to the newspaper. “You get used to good money, and you still want to make it,” Donald “Whitey” Taylor, who runs and owns Trump Town USA in Boones Mill, Virginia, told the outlet. “Today, the economy is just not worth a crap anymore.” Taylor’s store, a former church, used to bring in more than $15,000 a day at its peak in 2024, the businessman said. Now the 76-year-old said he averages $1,500 a day, which he put down to high gas prices and persistent inflation, the Journal reports. Still, the Trump-supporting businessman anticipates the store will see a resurgence of sales in January 2029 from “nostalgic MAGA supporters” at the end of the president’s second term. “They’ll all be back. It’s going to be awesome,” Taylor said. In Tennessee, the Trump Store Manchester shut down reportedly due to weak sales and high operating costs, an employee said. The store only saw about 12 customers a day during its final three days of trading, the former staff member added. Trump’s supporters aren’t buying as much MAGA merchandise as they used to, according to Liz Hall, an independent sales representative in Syracuse, New York. Hall told the Journal that sales for Trump apparel began to drop off after his re-election, but after the president launched the U.S. attack on Iran at the end of February, sales “took a nosedive.” The businesswoman, who sells nearly two dozen product lines including Trump-related merchandise, said her clients aren’t reaching out as much as they used to. “I used to be hearing from them; my phone would be exploding. Now, that’s not happening,” she said. In Washington, D.C., a wholesale souvenir supplier has cut back on purchasing Trump merchandise due to weak sales and low demand. “We don’t make decisions off of emotions, we make them off of certainty and whether there is a demand,” said Quan Ngo, who helps operate NT Souvenir Wholesale. “We’ve ordered less Trump merchandise because demand is down.” While many stores are struggling, others say business is still good. Seth Hansen, the owner of the Trump Store Branson in Missouri, acknowledged his sales were lower than in 2024, but told the Journal his stores are thriving. Hansen, who also owns a Jesus-themed merchandise store in Branson, said his Trump store brought in seven figures in revenue in 2025. He suggested other MAGA stores could be struggling due to a lack of business sense. “They’re not businesspeople,” he said of his competitors. “They love Trump and the Republican Party and what it stands for, but that’s not a business plan.” It comes as Trump’s approval rating has dropped to a record low in a recent poll, presenting a headache for Republicans ahead of the midterm elections. With less than two months before November’s elections, a Financial Times poll carried out by Focaldata found that only 33 percent of registered voters approve of Trump’s performance as president. This is the lowest number recorded since the newspaper began asking the question in May and a three-point decrease from the previous month. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments [Image text:] IKS AMERICA EAT AGALN MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN SALE HOWAL SPY MUSEUM