President Trump applied for two trademarks from his own administration – CREW

In the week before President Trump’s tariff threats set off a massive economic downturn, he was applying for two trademarks under his name—one related to a new business venture that seems to be targeted at merchandising the presidency through metaverse and NFT trading platforms and another to renew his trademark on Trump: The Game.

The first trademark application, filed on February 24, 2025 with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is for “TRUMP” and appears to hint at a new NFT and metaverse venture for the president. It covers “[d]ownloadable virtual goods in the nature of image files of avatars for use in online virtual worlds” as well as virtual handbags, VR headsets, “downloadable image files of Donald J. Trump authenticated by non-fungible tokens (NFTs),” “[v]irtual training services in the field of public service, civics, hotel management, construction and hospitality,” “[s]imulated transport by limousine” and much more.

The second, filed the next day, is for “TRUMP THE GAME” and appears to be renewing a longstanding trademark on Trump’s “finance and real estate skill based” board game. 

Former USPTO Commissioner for Trademarks David Gooder finished his five year term on February 28, 2025. Trump’s Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, will be tasked with nominating a head for the agency as it considers Trump’s trademark applications. The president applying for a trademark from his own administration poses a conflict of interest, and the leadership vacancy raises additional questions about whether approving Trump’s trademarks could be part of a loyalty test for the next leader of the agency. 

Beyond that clear conflict of interest, when the president applies for trademarks for games and crypto ventures within his first hundred days in office, after failing to divest from his existing extensive business interests, it raises questions about where his priorities lie. 

As his administration shuts down programs and agencies like the CFPB that support the financial wellbeing of everyday Americans, Trump’s focus appears to be on pursuing new business schemes and trademarks on games oriented around spreading his self-proclaimed real estate and financial savvy to his fans.