Donald Trump's nominee for FBI director was busted by a menswear expert for selling "America First" clothing that appears to be manufactured overseas.
MAGA loyalist Kash Patel, who served several roles in the first Trump administration and has been tapped to lead the FBI, has been cashing in on his proximity to the former president by publishing conspiratorial children's books, hawking T-shirts and other apparel and setting up a tax-exempt nonprofit, reported Rolling Stone.
But a renowned fashion writer uncovered some false claims about his products.
"Kash Patel apparently runs a 'America First' clothing line," posted writer Derek Guy, whose work appears in the New York Times and the Washington Post, among others, on Bluesky.
"'Tired of seeing your money go overseas?' reads a product page. 'Support your fellow Americans by purchasing a Protect Our People t-shirt.' Shirt appears to be made on Next Level blanks ... which are made in Central America and Haiti."
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The California-based Next Level Apparel sources its fabrics from the U.S. and China, and its garments are assembled overseas in Haiti, Central America, Mexico and China.
"Kash Patel's t-shirts cost $35," Guy wrote. "How much would it cost to get a real made-in-USA t-shirt in the same red color? Over all All American Clothing Co., it would be $13.95 for the same 60/40 cotton-poly blend or $14.95 for pure cotton."
Proceeds from the sales go toward Patel's Kash Fundation, which purports to help pay legal defense funds for whistleblowers, including a pair of witnesses who testified in 2023 before a House Judiciary Committee hearing last year as part of Rep. Jim Jordan‘s attempt to uncover a “deep state” conspiracy against Trump, but Guy pointed out that his listings were not deceptive.
"Patel's t-shirts do not say 'made in USA,'" Guy wrote. "The FTC has strict rules for who can use that label. The shirt has to be cut and sewn in the United States and made from fabric that was woven or knitted in the United States. Not all companies adhere to this rule. Many lie."
