Donald Trump Actually Tried To Trademark The Phrase ‘Rigged Election!’ So He Could Sell Merch

A recent report from the January 6 committee contained an interesting little item about Donald Trump‘s activities after losing the November 2020 election to Joe Biden. In the lead-up to his “Stop The Steal” rally, which ultimately ended in an insurrectionist attack on the U.S. Capitol building, Trump reportedly tried to trademark the phrase “Rigged Election!” Ever the faithful sidekick, Jared Kushner apparently tried to fast track this effort.

Trump’s blatant attempt to cash in on his “Big Lie” was first flagged by Los Angeles Times columnist Nicholas Goldberg:

The email, written just days after the 2020 election and titled “POTUS requests,” was addressed to Trump son-in-law and advisor Jared Kushner. It said: “Hey Jared! POTUS wants to trademark/own rights to below, I don’t know who to see — or ask.”

Below, the phrase “Rigged Election!” is highlighted in the email. Kushner forwarded the request on to various aides, saying, “Guys — Can we do ASAP please?”

According to Goldberg, had Trump been successful in locking down the trademark, “the goal presumably would’ve been to sell merchandise using the phrase, raising money for himself or his campaign or his legal defense or whatever.”

Obviously, Trump’s effort to claim ownership of “Rigged Election!” went nowhere and there’s no indication whether he actually filed a trademark and/or was talked out of it by his lawyers who no doubt used such dense legal arguments as “Are you crazy?” or the always effective “Dude, I’m not going to jail for this.”

(Via Los Angeles Times)

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