It's Trump's Money, Not His Brand, That Should Worry Him
Brother, can you spare a dime? Now even Deutsche Bank says no.
By Timothy L. O'Brien
January 15, 2021
The Trump Organization and its namesake are going to be financially squeezed after the current president of the United States leaves office next week. But I suspect most of the companys challenges wont involve the Trump brand that has drawn so much speculation.
After all, what does the Trump brand represent? And how valuable has it been, really even before the president alienated half of the country and untold millions overseas, bungled the federal response to a deadly pandemic and got himself impeached for the second time by convincing a confederacy of dunces, thugs and white supremacists to lay siege to the Capitol?
There is a long list of Trump-branded junk that has failed to take flight. Do you remember Donald J. Trump Eyeglasses, Donald Trump Regency Collection lighting, Select by Trump coffee, Success by Trump cologne, Trump Home mattresses and furniture, Trump Ice bottled water, Trump Steaks, Trump: The Game, Trump Vodka, or the Donald J. Trump Signature Collection of underwear, ties, shirts and suits? Does the Trump PrivaTest at-home urine test ring a bell?
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Trumps effort to orchestrate a political coup, and the insurrection he fomented, complicate matters further. The broader business world is turning its back on him, and reliable allies such as the PGA of America and Deutsche Bank AG are belatedly abandoning him. While the PGAs about-face may hurt Trumps pride more than his wallet, Deutsche Bank is a very different separation. Real estate guys need banks to finance deals. Major banks long ago cut ties with Trump after he stiffed them for billions in loans. Only Deutsche Bank stuck with Trump through scandal, failures and litigation. The banks farewell will cost him.
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https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-01-15/it-s-trump-s-money-not-his-brand-that-should-worry-him