Trump campaign threatens Loudoun County GOP with lawsuit over merch sales

The Loudoun County Republican Party sells merchandise on its site featuring a photo showing former President Donald Trump surviving an assassination attack on July 13.

The eight items on sale are: “Trump Is Victorious After Being Shot Red T-Shirt” for $35, “Trump Got shot and is Victorious Mug” at $15.52 and “Trump Is Shot and Victorious Mouse Pad”.

This fundraising effort has not been well received by the former President’s campaign.

In a letter sent to Loudoun County Republican Party chairman Scott Pio in a harshly worded manner, lawyers from the campaign demanded that he “immediately cease all unauthorized uses of President Trump’s likeness and name, or else we will pursue any claims against you.” It will hurt.”

David A. Warrington wrote in a letter that Pio used the assassination to raise funds the day following the attempt. He wrote: “Your attempt at capitalizing on the assassination of President Trump is in extremely bad taste.”

Warrington said that Pio was told in a phone call by the campaign to “cease this ghoulish behavior.”

Warrington wrote that in a letter dated August 6, “You agreed to cease fundraising and to stop all merchandising related to the assassination.” We are aware, despite your commitment, that you have now started selling merchandise featuring President Trump using a photo of him taken just after an assassin shot nearly killed him.

An anonymous user, @ShadowValo81134, posted a copy of the letter on X Saturday evening. Trump’s attorneys did not reply to emails or phone calls seeking comment on Sunday. Emails sent to Trump’s campaign Sunday afternoon were not immediately responded to by the spokespeople.

Pio confirmed to the media on Sunday that the letter had been received, but declined to make any further comment. He did say however: “The Republican Party’s internal firing squad needs to stop.” We are losing our country because the Republican Party is constantly fighting amongst itself. “I want Trump to win.”

On Sunday afternoon the Loudoun County Republican Party’s website still offered items with a shooting theme.

There may be more than meets the eyes to this merchandise dispute. According to a long-time Virginia Republican strategist, who spoke anonymously so that they could speak freely about the matter, the dispute stems from tension and mistrust between Loudoun County Republicans. Pio won his race to be elected for a two-year period as the county party chairman by just 37 votes in March. According to the person, people who wanted Pio removed may have brought the attention of the Trump campaign to the website.

To be honest, the person said: “It is all drama and nonsense.”

It would appear that the county Republican Party is not a likely target of Trump’s campaign, as many other Republican groups have sold shooting-themed merchandise.

Marc Farinella told The Washington Post that the idea of selling merchandise in order to profit from an event such as this was not new. “Trump’s assassination, his defiance and fist raised in defiance all fit into the narrative that Trump and his fans want to tell about Trump.”

Trump’s official merchandise includes a Tshirt featuring an image from that day of Trump with his fist raised in the air, and the words “FIGHT” beneath it. The Republican National Convention sold a lot of shirts, hats and other items featuring the images that followed the attempted assassination.

Warrington, perhaps anticipating the Loudoun County Republican Party’s pointing out these other examples in his letter to Pio wrote, “It does not help to say, “the Campaign did it so I can too.” Make no mistakes, you cannot and we will make this painfully clear in court.”