MAGA merch-hawkers face death spiral as Trump economy wipes out his base: analysis

Retailers hawking MAGA merchandise may soon be looking for new jobs as President Donald Trump's economy empties out their wallets, according to a new report.

The Wall Street Journal talked to wholesalers, sales reps and shop owners nationwide who described a business in free fall — moving even faster downhill than Trump's own poll numbers — leaving stores that sell nothing but his gear staring down closure.

Donald "Whitey" Taylor knows that fall firsthand.

His shop, Trump Town USA, occupies a converted century-old church in Boones Mill, Virginia, and "hit its high-water mark" in 2024, ringing up as much as "$15,000 in a single day" — the strongest run in its 11 years.

But these days, the 76-year-old is happy to see $1,500. He blames "Iran-war gas prices and persistent inflation," and admitted to the Journal many folks "stopped buying new merchandise because they felt they had already done their part in getting the president elected to a second term."

"You get used to good money, and you still want to make it," Taylor said, thinking back on the crowds that once filled his aisles. "Today, the economy is just not worth a c--- anymore."

"Many MAGA-centered merchandise retailers and their suppliers are seeing sales dwindle, according to interviews with wholesalers, sales representatives, business owners and employees," the Journal reported.

"As the president’s approval rating hovers near all-time lows, imperiling Republicans’ control of Congress, store owners blame a stagnant economy and weaker MAGA enthusiasm for lower sales. Some stores are closing permanently."

Syracuse sales rep Lisa Hall, who reps nearly two dozen brands including Trump merchandise, said orders held up right after the 2024 election but "plunged" roughly six months back, right as the Iran war erupted. Clients still buy, just far less and far less often.

"I used to be hearing from them; my phone would be exploding. Now, that's not happening," Hall said.

As Raw Story has reported, comparable closures elsewhere in Tennessee and Illinois have left even devoted MAGA fans questioning the movement's staying power.