Say what you like about Donald Trump — the man understands IP.
While the rest of us are debating tariffs and trade wars, his organisation has quietly filed trademarks for “Trump 250” ahead of America’s 250th anniversary celebrations.
Not content with owning the word TRUMP across numerous licensed products including hotels, golf courses and a university, he’s now staking a claim on the nation’s birthday.
Love him or loathe him, there’s a lesson here.
Trump has always treated his brand as his most valuable asset — and he has spent decades and considerable legal fees protecting it. The trademarks, the licensing deals, the infringement actions. While other businesspeople build products, he’s been building his brand.
Most business owners do the opposite. They spend years building something genuinely valuable — a brand, a product, a design — and then leave it completely unprotected. No registration. No insurance. Nothing standing between them and the first well-funded competitor who decides to copy it.
The irony is that you don’t need a gold-plated tower in Manhattan to take IP seriously. A trade mark registration costs a few hundred pounds. IP Insurance — which covers the legal costs of actually enforcing those rights — costs less than most people’s annual software subscriptions.
Trump didn’t build a global brand by hoping nobody would copy him.
Neither should you.
Donald Trump Org Files ‘Trump 250’ Trademarks for America’s Anniversary — Report
This article is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Readers should seek independent legal advice on their specific circumstances before taking any action.
