Politics

Trump is Trying to Trademark the Truth

He has filed applications to trademark words and phrases that contain the word “truth”

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

In the paradox that is the Trump Universe, Trump attorneys are filing applications to trademark words and phrases containing the word truth: “truthing” “post a truth” “retruth” “follow the truth.”

An application to trademark the name and logo of Trump’s new social media site, Truth Social, was filed before he even announced its existence. Click here to see the logo if you haven’t seen it already.

I wonder if his applications will be denied. After all, the words “Trump” and “truth” are mutually exclusive terms. Trump’s only acknowledgement of the truth has been to constantly deny it.

But he is all about branding and trademarks. In his mind, branding elevates him and his reputation while trademarks lend a whiff of exclusivity.

Trump is also trying to trademark “TMTG” (Trump Media and Technology Group) and “TMTG+”, his planned on-demand streaming service which he refers to as “non-woke” version of Netflix and Disney+.

Also in the works, cloud computing and payment services. Trump intends for TMTG to compete with the likes of CNN, Amazon and Google, as well as Netflix and Disney+.

He very helpfully provided a chart in his pitch deck illustrating which companies he plans to compete with. Click here to see it and be dazzled.

To drive home his intentions, his pitch deck also includes a slide that shows TMTG as the literal center of the conservative media universe. You can click here to see it. Warning: you may need eclipse glasses to safely view it.

This is not puffery. This is another one of those “I alone can fix it moments” to which Trump’s ego is so prone.

Trump claims that he has come to the realization that only he has the wealth and power to challenge Big Tech.

“I might be the only person in America with the megaphone, the resources, the experience, and the desire to make it all happen. I am determined to break their [Big Tech] chokehold over the voices of the American People — not just for myself and my own supporters, but for the United States of America!”

Sounds so magnanimous, doesn’t it? Until you realize that Trump is not using his own money to fund this venture and I’m sure none of the planned services will be free.

More Trumpian blather:

“This is about saving our country. America has always been a nation of smart, spirited, and independent people who take pride in thinking for themselves. We have fallen far down the “slippery slope” of censorship in our country, and the topics that Americans are increasingly forbidden to debate are among the most important issues of our day.”

Well, truthfully (not yet trademarked, I may file an application), if you read the fine print on his Truth Social site, there is plenty of censorship and restricted topics on his own platform.

And in true Trump fashion, what those are are not spelled out. Instead, they will be determined by the Big Man himself. I’m guessing on a case by case, day by day, whatever he is annoyed with at that moment, basis.

Personally, I am enjoying a moment of schadenfreude. That SPAC that is financing this venture? After a week of dizzying gains of 846%, the stock price took a sickening fall when Iceberg Research, a short seller, announced that they had shorted the stock.

“We are short $DWAC. Now that initial excitement has passed, we see only risks for investors in near future. Based on Trump’s track record, at current price, renegotiation is likely to keep more of the merged company for him.”

What is Trump’s track record to which they refer?

Trump bankrupted his Atlantic City casinos and nearly bankrupted Atlantic City. Trump University had to close its doors after being overwhelmed with lawsuits from disgruntled students. Trump Shuttle ran out of cash and defaulted on its debt.

You get the idea.

The only ones who will make any money out of Trump’s latest venture are the short sellers.

The rest of us can watch for free, no streaming service required.