Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
T-Shirts With Image of Trump Raising His Fist After Assassination Attempt Are for Sale in China
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 10 months ago on
July 15, 2024

Chinese retailers are selling T-shirts featuring images of Trump after an assassination attempt. (AP/Evan Vucci)

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

BANGKOK — Images of the moment have already been splashed across the world’s front pages and papered many corners of the internet — former President Donald Trump, ear bleeding, with his right hand clenched in a fist above the Secret Service agents surrounding him after he was shot.

And now they’re available on T-shirts for as little as $4 on China’s e-commerce platforms.

Over the weekend, Chinese retailers leapt into action on Taobao and JD.com, the country’s two biggest e-commerce platforms, to profit from the images after an assassination attempt on Trump at a rally on Saturday.

T-Shirts Feature Slogans Like “Make America Great Again” and “Shooting Makes Me Stronger”

“Make America Great Again,” read one T-shirt, according to screenshots that circulated online. “Shooting Makes Me Stronger,” read another.

The shirts used a variety of photos that captured the moment, including one of the most indelible made by Associated Press photographer Evan Vucci.

While people around the world may have recognized the power of the images, Chinese manufacturers are particularly well positioned to quickly jump on something trending and make it into a product. It is the world’s factory floor and its highly competitive domestic e-commerce industry means its small retailers are poised to exploit all sorts of consumer product trends.

Many T-Shirts No Longer Easily Found, but Still Available Through Hidden Links

By Monday, many of the T-shirts were no longer easily found, with a search for “Trump T-shirt” on JD showing no results and on Taobao showing other Trump T-shirts.

When asked, however, some shops were able to provide hidden links to the merchandise — and other shirts could be found by searching for a Chinese nickname for Trump for a time.

It’s not clear why the shirts were hidden, but China’s domestic internet, which is largely isolated from the global internet, is controlled by an extensive censorship system that also monitors its online commerce sites. The use of the images could raise copyright concerns.

AP Reserves Rights to “Powerful Image” Captured by Photographer Evan Vucci

“The Associated Press is proud of Evan Vucci’s photo and recognizes its impact,” said Lauren Easton, AP’s vice president of corporate communications. “In addition, we reserve our rights to this powerful image.”

An AP journalist was able to order a shirt with an image of the moment for 61 yuan ($8), even though the original link said the shirt was no longer available. A customer service representative said it violated regulations, without elaborating, but then provided a link to order the shirt.

Another shop on Taobao offered five different T-shirts, all based on photos from Saturday’s rally, when asked whether it had any showing Trump being shot at. They were selling for 34.9 yuan ($4).

For a time Monday, searches that included “Trump Jianguo” turned up shops selling T-shirts with images from the rally — though that worked less well as the day went on.

Trump Jianguo began being used as a nickname on the Chinese internet when Trump was in office. Jianguo — which means “build a country” — was a popular patriotic name for men in the 1950s and 60s when China’s Communist People’s Republic was young. The nickname is a jibe from people who felt some of Trump’s policies actually helped China, despite his sometimes fiery rhetoric.

Chinese entrepreneurs have long done brisk business on Trump’s name, as much of the candidate’s merchandise was made in the Chinese wholesale center Yiwu during the 2020 election.

Alibaba, which owns Taobao, and JD.com did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

A Tidal Wave of Change Is Headed for the U.S. Economy

DON'T MISS

‘Do Not Mock Us’: Trump’s AI Pope Photo Draws Backlash from Catholic Leaders

DON'T MISS

Warren Buffett Shocks Shareholders by Announcing His Intention to Retire at the End of the Year

DON'T MISS

Don’t Have a REAL ID Yet? That Could Cause You Travel Headaches After May 7

DON'T MISS

Grand Theft Auto VI Delayed Again, This Time Until May 2026

DON'T MISS

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese Wins a Second 3-Year Term

DON'T MISS

Justice Department Will Switch Its Focus on Voting and Prioritize Trump’s Elections Order

DON'T MISS

Newsom Jabs at Trump and Musk, but Will AI Make California More Efficient?

DON'T MISS

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Trial to Delve Into the Seediest Side of Rap’s ‘Bad Boy’

DON'T MISS

Robbie Ray’s Gem Leads the Giants Over the Rockies

UP NEXT

‘Do Not Mock Us’: Trump’s AI Pope Photo Draws Backlash from Catholic Leaders

UP NEXT

Warren Buffett Shocks Shareholders by Announcing His Intention to Retire at the End of the Year

UP NEXT

Don’t Have a REAL ID Yet? That Could Cause You Travel Headaches After May 7

UP NEXT

Grand Theft Auto VI Delayed Again, This Time Until May 2026

UP NEXT

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese Wins a Second 3-Year Term

UP NEXT

Justice Department Will Switch Its Focus on Voting and Prioritize Trump’s Elections Order

UP NEXT

Newsom Jabs at Trump and Musk, but Will AI Make California More Efficient?

UP NEXT

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Trial to Delve Into the Seediest Side of Rap’s ‘Bad Boy’

UP NEXT

Robbie Ray’s Gem Leads the Giants Over the Rockies

UP NEXT

Voters to Decide if Home of Elon Musk’s SpaceX Should Become an Official City: Starbase

Don’t Have a REAL ID Yet? That Could Cause You Travel Headaches After May 7

9 hours ago

Grand Theft Auto VI Delayed Again, This Time Until May 2026

10 hours ago

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese Wins a Second 3-Year Term

10 hours ago

Justice Department Will Switch Its Focus on Voting and Prioritize Trump’s Elections Order

10 hours ago

Newsom Jabs at Trump and Musk, but Will AI Make California More Efficient?

11 hours ago

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Trial to Delve Into the Seediest Side of Rap’s ‘Bad Boy’

11 hours ago

Robbie Ray’s Gem Leads the Giants Over the Rockies

12 hours ago

Voters to Decide if Home of Elon Musk’s SpaceX Should Become an Official City: Starbase

12 hours ago

World’s Tallest and Smallest Dogs Meet Up for a Playdate

12 hours ago

Yamamoto Allows Only 1 Hit in 6 Scoreless Innings and Betts Homers as Dodgers Hold Off Braves 2-1

12 hours ago

A Tidal Wave of Change Is Headed for the U.S. Economy

When the COVID pandemic hit, factories in China shut down and global shipping traffic slowed. Within a matter of a few weeks, products began...

4 hours ago

4 hours ago

A Tidal Wave of Change Is Headed for the U.S. Economy

8 hours ago

‘Do Not Mock Us’: Trump’s AI Pope Photo Draws Backlash from Catholic Leaders

9 hours ago

Warren Buffett Shocks Shareholders by Announcing His Intention to Retire at the End of the Year

9 hours ago

Don’t Have a REAL ID Yet? That Could Cause You Travel Headaches After May 7

10 hours ago

Grand Theft Auto VI Delayed Again, This Time Until May 2026

10 hours ago

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese Wins a Second 3-Year Term

10 hours ago

Justice Department Will Switch Its Focus on Voting and Prioritize Trump’s Elections Order

11 hours ago

Newsom Jabs at Trump and Musk, but Will AI Make California More Efficient?

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend