[Reading level: C1 – Advanced]
Sneakers. Perfume. Trading cards. Bibles.
Those are just some of the products Donald Trump is hawking while he runs to unseat President Joe Biden.
They join a sprawling catalog of Trump-branded merchandise, ranging from steaks to scented candles, that the businessman-turned-president has licensed over the years.
But as his campaign coffers dwindle and his fortune comes under threat, Trump — who has never completely severed his political career from his financial one — is now actively intertwining his business ventures with his White House bid.
“There is no precedent for this level” of business activity during a presidential campaign, Harvard Law School professor Lawrence Lessig told CNBC, though “the trend has been building for many years.”
Brendan Fischer, deputy executive director of money-in-politics watchdog Documented, agreed.
“I can’t think of any other modern example of a presidential candidate hawking an array of goods for their private benefit,” Fischer said.
For an average candidate, that activity might trigger a campaign finance investigation — but it likely won’t for Trump, who has been selling branded goods long before he entered politics, according to Fischer. “Trump is a unique case,” he said.
That uniqueness was on full display Tuesday, as Trump unveiled his latest promotion: a $60 Bible that includes copies of the nation’s founding documents, along with lyrics from country star Lee Greenwood’s hit song, “God Bless the U.S.A.”
The song by Greenwood, who is partnering with Trump to endorse the high-priced holy book, is a regular needle drop at the presumptive Republican nominee’s campaign rallies.
Trump made the campaign connection even more explicit in a video announcing the promotion, warning that Americans’ rights are under threat and declaring, “we’re gonna get it turned around.” He also invoked his campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again,” multiple times.
It is unclear how much money Trump is making off the Bible — he is receiving royalties from its sales, a person familiar with the arrangement told The New York Times — but whatever he gets will be effectively going into his pocket.
The website for the Bibles says it has no link to Trump’s campaign. It instead uses Trump’s name, likeness and image under paid license from a company called CIC Ventures LLC.
Trump’s 2023 financial disclosure calls him the “Manager, President, Secretary, & Treasurer” of CIC Ventures, and lists his revocable trust as the sole owner of the company. Trump has made more than $5 million in speaking engagements through the company, the disclosure shows. Florida business records show CIC’s address is the same as Trump’s golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Lessig noted that Trump’s business moves do not appear to be violating campaign ethics or financial rules. “I don’t think there’s any ethical problem with it at all — so long as the proper reporting requirements are complied with,” the professor said.
“There may well be a strategic or brand problem with it, but that’s the same as with any political speech,” he added.
A Trump campaign spokesman did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
Trump’s Biblical endorsement came during Holy Week, the run-up to Easter and a sacred time for Christians. It also came less than six weeks after Trump traveled to a sneaker convention in Philadelphia to launch his own line of tennis shoes.
Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/trumps-deals-sell-bibles-sneakers-perfume-are-unprecedented-presidenti-rcna145637
WORD BANK:
sneaker /ˈsniː.kɚ/ (n): giày thể thao
bible /ˈbaɪ.bəl/ (n): kinh thánh
hawk /hɑːk/ (v): bán cái gì đó ở nơi công cộng
unseat sb /ʌnˈsiːt/ (v): giành lấy chiếc ghế của ai
sprawling /ˈsprɑː.lɪŋ/ (adj): trải rộng, phong phú
merchandise /ˈmɝː.tʃən.daɪz/ (n): mặt hàng, hàng hóa
scented candle /ˈsen.t̬ɪd ˈkæn.dəl/ (n): nến thơm
coffer /ˈkɑː.fɚ/ (n): ngân sách, ngân khố
dwindle /ˈdwɪn.dəl/ (v): suy giảm
fortune /ˈfɔːr.tʃuːn/ [B2] (n): tài sản
sever sth from sth /ˈsev.ɚ/ (v): tách rời cái gì ra khỏi cái gì
intertwine sth with sth /ˌɪn.t̬ɚˈtwaɪn/ (v): kết hợp, đan xen cái gì với cái gì
venture /ˈven.tʃɚ/ [C2] (n): dự án kinh doanh
precedent for sth /ˈpres.ə.dent/ [C2] (n): tiền lệ cho điều gì
deputy /ˈdep.jə.t̬i/ [C1] (n): phó
executive director /ɪɡˈzek.jə.t̬ɪv dɪˈrek.tɚ/ (n): giám đốc điều hành
watchdog /ˈwɑːtʃ.dɑːɡ/ (n): cơ quan giám sát
presidential candidate (n): ứng cử viên tổng thống
trigger sth /ˈtrɪɡ.ɚ/ [C1] (v): gây ra cái gì đó tiêu cực
be on full display (v): được thể hiện đầy đủ
unveil /ʌnˈveɪl/ (v): công bố
endorse /ɪnˈdɔːrs/ [C2] (v): tán thành, ủng hộ, quảng bá cho một sản phẩm
needle drop /ˈniː.dəl drɑːp/ (n): ca khúc, bản nhạc đi cùng một bộ phim hay chương trình truyền hình
presumptive /prɪˈzʌmp.tɪv/ (adj – formal): giả định
nominee /ˌnɑː.məˈniː/ (n): người được đề cử
rally /ˈræl.i/ [C2] (n): cuộc vận động
explicit /ɪkˈsplɪs.ɪt/ [C2] (adj): rõ ràng
invoke /ɪnˈvoʊk/ (v – formal): kêu gọi sự giúp đỡ
make money off sth (v): kiếm tiền từ cái gì
royalty /ˈrɔɪ.əl.t̬i/ (n): tiền bản quyền
likeness /ˈlaɪk.nəs/ (n): chân dung, hình ảnh của ai đó
financial disclosure /faɪˈnæn.ʃəl dɪˈskloʊ.ʒɚ/ (n): báo cáo tài chính
treasurer /ˈtreʒ.ɚ.ɚ/ (n): thủ quỹ
revocable /rɪˈvoʊ.kə.bəl/ (adj): có thể hủy bỏ
trust /trʌst/ (n): quỹ tín thác
ethic /ˈeθ.ɪk/ [C2] (n): đạo đức
comply with sth /kəmˈplaɪ/ [C1] (v): tuân thủ cái gì
spokesman /ˈspoʊks.mən/ (n): người phát ngôn
holy /ˈhoʊ.li/ [C1] (adj): thuộc về thánh
sacred /ˈseɪ.krɪd/ [C1] (adj): thiêng liêng
convention /kənˈven.ʃən/ [C1] (n): hội nghị
ỦNG HỘ READ TO LEAD!
Chào bạn! Có thể bạn chưa biết, Read to Lead là một trang giáo dục phi lợi nhuận với mục đích góp phần phát triển cộng đồng người học tiếng Anh tại Việt Nam. Chúng tôi không yêu cầu người đọc phải trả bất kỳ chi phí nào để sử dụng các sản phẩm của mình để mọi người đều có cơ hội học tập tốt hơn. Tuy nhiên, nếu bạn có thể, chúng tôi mong nhận được sự hỗ trợ tài chính từ bạn để duy trì hoạt động của trang và phát triển các sản phẩm mới.
Bạn có thể ủng hộ chúng tôi qua 1 trong 2 cách dưới đây.
– Cách 1: Chuyển tiền qua tài khoản Momo.
Số điện thoại 0947.886.865 (Chủ tài khoản: Nguyễn Tiến Trung)
Nội dung chuyển tiền: Ủng hộ Read to Lead
hoặc
– Cách 2: Chuyển tiền qua tài khoản ngân hàng.
Ngân hàng VIB chi nhánh Hải Phòng
Số tài khoản: 012704060048394 (Chủ tài khoản: Nguyễn Tiến Trung)
Nội dung chuyển tiền: Ủng hộ Read to Lead
