It was a hat slogan that became a movement.
In 2016, Donald Trump introduced campaign merchandise that would arguably become the most well-known political clothing of modern times. Eight years later, the third iteration of the Trump campaign is still selling millions of red “Make America Great Again” hats a year, and sales have just hit a new milestone.
More than 2 million MAGA hats have been shipped out by the Trump campaign since the beginning of 2023 – with more than 1,285,000 of those sold between January and October of this year alone, Trump officials told The Independent.
For old and new Trump supporters, spending $40 to don the red hat is the easiest way to show your admiration for the former president and political affiliation.
Money will often go to help fund Trump's campaign or election efforts. That means the little red hats have become a huge moneymaker for the former president hoping to win back the White House.
At rallies, thousands of people show up with their red MAGA hats. During the former president’s Madison Square Garden rally, street vendors attempt to peddle knock-offs to the attendees without the red cap – so they would fit in with the others filling the strets of Manhattan.
If the MAGA movement had a dress code, the red hat would be the first must-have on the list.
“President Trump is the most iconic presidential candidate in history—from historic rallies filling Madison Square Garden to record-breaking podcasts with giants like Joe Rogan and Elon Musk and over 2 million MAGA hats have been distributed to supporters this cycle,” Taylor Rogers, a Republican National Committee spokesperson said.
“President Trump’s message of hope and his America First agenda resonates with hardworking Americans and their families. The momentum is on our side because voters know Kamala broke our country, and President Trump is the only one who can fix it,” Rogers said.
For years, Trump has been touting “Make America Great Again” as his slogan. He first thought of it as early as 2012, according to The Washington Post and filed a form to register it with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Though it seems like a variation of Ronald Reagan’s 1980 campaign slogan, “Let’s Make America Great Again”, Trump maintained he did not know Reagan used it before unsuccessfully attempting to register it.
It wouldn’t be until Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign that the public would come to know MAGA.
Weeks after announcing his campaign, Trump met the legal requirement to trademark “Make America Great Again” and since August 16, 2016, the former president’s corporation Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. has owned the rights to it.
From the get-go, it was clear the hat was different from other political campaign merchandise. For one, its bright red color and wide shape make it impossible to miss in a crowd.
Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, once claimed the debut of the hats made the Trump campaign $80,000 per day.
Nowadays, it’s impossible to wear a bright red baseball cap without getting stared at. Passing eyes lock eyes with the hat, trying to decipher if the wearer is a Trump supporter or perhaps sporting some sort of ironic variation of the political merchandise.
It also spread in other merchandise and headwear in all sorts of colors and styles. Recently, Trump has been spotted wearing a black one with gold lettering.
But, it was ultimately Trump’s own fondness for the hat that encouraged supporters to follow suit. Trump unapologetically wears his MAGA hat on and off the golf course, with or without a suit, president or not.
He stands by the red MAGA hat with the same conviction he continues to repeat falsehoods about the 2020 election or even that immigrants in Ohio are eating cats and dogs.
The hat did not become a stain on the Trump legacy, even after thousands of Trump supporters (some wearing the hat) stormed the Capitol on January 6.
It is ultimately a unifying symbol for those who see Trump as a beacon of light for the future – or the past. Those who feel isolated by the mainstream can find solace in knowing they have an ally just by spotting a bright red baseball cap in a crowd.
