Donald Trump is once again profiting from his office as US President.Image: keystone
Donald Trump regularly uses his presidency in the USA for his own business. Recently, alcoholic drinks from the Trump family have suddenly been offered to US soldiers – but is that legal?
November 11, 2025, 10:52 p.mNovember 11, 2025, 10:52 p.m
Dariusch Rimkus / watson.de
Always dirty deals: in his life, US President Donald Trump was first an heir to millions, then a businessman and finally a politician. Even as US President, he will definitely not let his business acumen rest. On the contrary: he even uses his office to do business.
In the latest case, he is doing this particularly shamelessly: US Coast Guard duty-free shops in Washington, DC, and Virginia have recently started selling wines and cider from Trump’s winery. This is once again sparking discussions about the Trump family’s mixing of official business and private business interests.
USA: Trump wine and cider for the US army
The products from Trump’s winery first came to light through an anonymous whistleblower who identified himself as an employee of the Department of Homeland Security. He posted a photo on Instagram showing the bottles on a prominently placed advertising table in one of the duty-free shops. These stores offer tax-free shopping for members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families.
Tricia McLaughlin.Image: keystone
Deputy Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin confirmed to The Independent that the products are being sold in stores. She said in a statement: “The brave men and women of the US Coast Guard are pleased that they can purchase Trump wine and cider tax-free.”
The government confirmed the sale of the Trump products but stressed, according to consistent reports, that no laws were being violated. Supporters of the president argued that it was a standard licensing agreement and that Trump himself was not directly involved in the sales.
Ethics expert Jordan Libowitz from the organization Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) also considers the procedure to be legal, as he told Forbes: “There is probably no legal problem here.” Nevertheless, he added that there are certainly ethical reservations.
Libowitz warned that it could create the impression that the president is personally profiting from the sales. “You don’t want the military to take sides. Will they also try to make money for other presidents? The whole thing is strange,” says Libowitz.
Instagram users mock Trump wine
Under the anonymous whistleblower’s post, many users are stunned by Trump’s shamelessness. “Every day I ask myself why you voted for this guy,” says one comment, “Why isn’t anyone doing anything [gegen Trump]?» in another.
However, other users also mock Trump’s latest action. “It would be a shame if someone accidentally knocked over the table,” writes one user. Another critic jokes: “Smacks of disappointment.”
Trump and the mixing of office and business
The current controversy joins a long list of cases in which Trump linked business interests and political power. In the past, Trump has not shied away from marketing his name on a variety of products: from steaks to gold sneakers to luxury watches and Bible editions.
His online shop, which refrained from selling presidential products during his first term in office, now offers an entire collection of items directly related to his presidency.
According to Forbes, Trump’s fortune has almost doubled to $6.5 billion since his return to the White House, largely due to his family’s lucrative crypto investments. Trump’s wine business alone is valued at around $44 million – even though he himself reportedly doesn’t drink alcohol.