Latest news with #Trump-related


AsiaOne
2 days ago
- Politics
- AsiaOne
FBI ousts ex-acting director, other agents, in latest purge, people briefed say, World News
WASHINGTON — The FBI is firing another round of employees, including former Acting Director Brian Driscoll, in its latest moves against officials who worked on issues that drew President Donald Trump's ire, four people briefed on the matter said on Thursday (Aug 7). Driscoll, who temporarily served as the bureau's director early this year before FBI Director Kash Patel's Senate confirmation, was viewed as a hero by some in the bureau after he sought to shield them from being targeted for their role in investigating people who stormed the US Capitol on Jan 6, 2021, in a failed bid to overturn Trump's election defeat. The Justice Department's former Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, who has since been confirmed to serve as an appellate court judge, accused Driscoll and former FBI Acting Deputy Director Robert Kissane of insubordination, after they tried to fend off his efforts to collect a list of the names of all those people. Driscoll, nicknamed "The Drizz," told his colleagues in a farewell message on Thursday that he was given no explanation for his removal. "Last night I was informed that tomorrow will be my last day in the FBI. I understand that you may have a lot of questions regarding why, for which I currently have no answers. No cause has been articulated at this time," he wrote, according to a copy seen by Reuters. "Please know that it has been the honour of my life to serve alongside each of you." The FBI also notified at least three other agents they will be terminated by Friday, including the Washington Field Office's Assistant Director-in-Charge Steve Jensen, former Las Vegas Special Agent-in-Charge Spencer Evans and Walter Giardina, an agent in the Washington field office who was recently targeted by Republican Senator Charles Grassley for his involvement in several Trump-related cases, said the people who were briefed on the matter. Jensen, in a message to his staff, said he received a similar message that his employment will be terminated effective Friday. "Never waver in your resolve to answer the call to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution," he wrote, according to a copy reviewed by Reuters. The FBI declined to comment. The moves are the latest in a string of firings that kicked off on Trump's first day in office, including against people who worked on cases related to Jan 6 or former Special Counsel Jack Smith's two indictments against Trump for his retention of classified records and efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. In most of the firings, employees were not provided with explanations for their removal. Many have since filed legal challenges that remain pending. In a statement, the FBI Agents Association said it was "deeply concerned" about the reports that agents will be "summarily fired without due process for doing their jobs." "There is a review process when employment actions are taken against Agents. The process was established so that the FBI could remain independent and apolitical. FBI leadership committed — both publicly and directly to FBIAA — that they would abide by that process. We urge them to honour that commitment and follow the law," the group added. [[nid:720821]]


The Sun
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
FBI fires ex-acting director Driscoll, other senior agents
WASHINGTON: The FBI is firing another round of employees, including former Acting Director Brian Driscoll, in its latest moves against officials who worked on issues that drew President Donald Trump's ire, four people briefed on the matter said on Thursday. Driscoll, who temporarily served as the bureau's director early this year before FBI Director Kash Patel's Senate confirmation, was viewed as a hero by some in the bureau after he sought to shield them from being targeted for their role in investigating people who stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, in a failed bid to overturn Trump's election defeat.\ The Justice Department's former Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, who has since been confirmed to serve as an appellate court judge, accused Driscoll and former FBI Acting Deputy Director Robert Kissane of insubordination, after they tried to fend off his efforts to collect a list of the names of all those people. Driscoll, nicknamed 'The Drizz,' told his colleagues in a farewell message on Thursday that he was given no explanation for his removal. 'Last night I was informed that tomorrow will be my last day in the FBI. I understand that you may have a lot of questions regarding why, for which I currently have no answers. No cause has been articulated at this time,' he wrote, according to a copy seen by Reuters. 'Please know that it has been the honor of my life to serve alongside each of you.' The FBI also notified at least three other agents they will be terminated by Friday, including the Washington Field Office's Assistant Director-in-Charge Steve Jensen, former Las Vegas Special Agent-in-Charge Spencer Evans and Walter Giardina, an agent in the Washington field office who was recently targeted by Republican Senator Charles Grassley for his involvement in several Trump-related cases, said the people who were briefed on the matter. Jensen, in a message to his staff, said he received a similar message that his employment will be terminated effective Friday. 'Never waver in your resolve to answer the call to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution,' he wrote, according to a copy reviewed by Reuters. The FBI declined to comment. The moves are the latest in a string of firings that kicked off on Trump's first day in office, including against people who worked on cases related to January 6 or former Special Counsel Jack Smith's two indictments against Trump for his retention of classified records and efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. In most of the firings, employees were not provided with explanations for their removal. Many have since filed legal challenges that remain pending. In a statement, the FBI Agents Association said it was 'deeply concerned' about the reports that agents will be 'summarily fired without due process for doing their jobs.' 'There is a review process when employment actions are taken against Agents. The process was established so that the FBI could remain independent and apolitical. FBI leadership committed — both publicly and directly to FBIAA — that they would abide by that process. We urge them to honor that commitment and follow the law,' the group added. - Reuters


Newsweek
6 days ago
- Business
- Newsweek
Donald Trump 'In Denial' About Job Figures, Economy—Nate Silver
Based on factual reporting, incorporates the expertise of the journalist and may offer interpretations and conclusions. Pollster Nate Silver on Sunday called out President Donald Trump's reaction to the latest data about jobs, accusing him of "denialism" and warning that it won't help him fix the nation's slowing economy. "Firing the BLS commissioner won't prevent the effects of tariffs. But it will reduce American economic leadership and increase uncertainty for businesses, workers and investors," Silver wrote in his newsletter, referring to Trump's decision to fire Erika McEntarfer, commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), after the agency published a weaker-than-expected jobs report for July. Silver stressed that U.S. economic data remains reliable, as it is meticulously documented and regularly revised "because measuring something as complex as the modern American economy is an incredibly challenging task." "I'm not sure exactly where firing the BLS commissioner ranks on the list of Trump-related outrages," Silver wrote. "Even if Congress does its job and McEntarfer replaced with another competent successor, this could have a chilling effect on BLS and other government agencies to operate independently." Newsweek has reached out to the White House by email on Sunday outside of normal business hours for comment. Why It Matters Trump's decision to fire McEntarfer has sent shockwaves throughout the country, with economists and Democratic lawmakers criticizing the move. Some have accused Trump of trying to "kill the messenger" over heavy revisions to May and June's job numbers, which removed 258,000 jobs previously announced in those months. This followed the July jobs report, which reported 73,000 jobs added, which is well short of the projected 100,000 jobs. The unemployment rate also rose to 4.2 percent. The firing of a high-level labor statistician after the release of adverse economic data raised alarms about the politicization of nonpartisan agencies and reliability of official U.S. economic statistics. Experts and lawmakers stressed that the integrity of the BLS is central to public trust and informed economic decision-making. What To Know Silver, the founder of 538 and one of the most prominent polling experts in last year's presidential election, wrote in his newsletter that July's jobs report has suggested a slowing economy and "Trump is in denial about it." "Each monthly payrolls figure is actually revised three times: once in each of the first two months after initial publication (so July's 73,000 figure will be re-reported in August and then again in September) and then again each January as part of the BLS's annual benchmark revisions," Silver wrote. He argued that the jobs report often only receives attention at the initial announcement, with politicians and news media treating the figure as a simple "beat" or "bust" factor relative to the initial estimate, and that not enough attention is given to the regular cycle of "large revisions and the difficulties in estimation." "All of this feels a little too familiar: it's the same thing that happens when news organizations breathlessly report polling data without considering the margin of error and other challenges for surveys," Silver wrote. He noted that revisions during every month of Trumps' second administration have seen negative revisions, which he wrote is "actually common enough" and that it's more important to look at the trend of revision from month-to-month. Those trends help experts and analysts understand if they're seeing sampling errors or statistical biases in the numbers, which can occur also in the event of an economy facing "some sort of trauma or disruption." Silver also wrote that any attempt to undermine Trump would be better executed by reporting the lower estimates instead of revising them down later, since "revisions don't usually get as much media attention as the headline figures," and that "the May and June revisions are relatively pedestrian." "The largest change ever to an initial jobs figure ever after two months came in March 2020 as the pandemic hit American shores; initially reported as a job loss of 700,000, it was later revised to nearly 1.4 million instead," he wrote. President Donald Trump departs the White House en route to Bedminster, New Jersey, on August 1 in Washington, D.C. President Donald Trump departs the White House en route to Bedminster, New Jersey, on August 1 in Washington, D.C. Andrew Thomas/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images What People Are Saying President Donald Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Sunday: "Head of the Bureau of of Labor Statistics did the same thing just before the Presidential Election, when she lifted the numbers for jobs to an all time high. I then won the Election, anyway, and she readjusted the numbers downward, calling it a mistake, of almost one million jobs. A SCAM! She did it again, with another massive 'correction,' and got FIRED! She had the biggest miscalculations in over 50 years." Trump also wrote on Truth Social on Friday: "McEntarfer said there were only 73,000 Jobs added (a shock!) but, more importantly, that a major mistake was made by them, 258,000 Jobs downward, in the prior two months. Similar things happened in the first part of the year, always to the negative. The Economy is BOOMING under 'TRUMP' despite a Fed that also plays games, this time with Interest Rates, where they lowered them twice, and substantially, just before the Presidential Election, I assume in the hopes of getting 'Kamala' elected – How did that work out? Jerome 'Too Late' Powell should also be put "out to pasture." Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Ernie Tedeschi, the former head of Yale University's Budget Lab, wrote on X on Friday about McEntarfer's firing: "I've worked closely with Erika. I know of no economist who is more data-focused & devoted to truth in statistics. She never shied from speaking truth to power when the data were disappointing. Nothing would be worse for US credibility than political meddling in our economic data."


Politico
29-07-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Sherrill leads Ciattarelli by ...
Good Tuesday morning! Sick of seeing only internal polls in the race for governor? Here's a public one. Democrat Mikie Sherrill leads Republican Jack Ciattarelli by eight points, 45 percent to 37 percent, according to a Fairleigh Dickinson University poll released this morning of 806 registered voters. That's a much smaller margin than a July 2 Rutgers-Eagleton poll that showed Sherrill with a 20-point lead, and whose sample drew harsh criticism from the Ciattarelli camp. One thing that sticks out about this new poll is how it bears out each campaign's strategy since last month's primary. Sherrill has sought to tie Ciattarelli to Trump, while Ciattarelli — after spending most of the primary successfully courting Trump's endorsement — has sought to focus entirely on state issues while avoiding disclaiming Trump. The poll asked voters their candidate preferences first, then broke them into two groups to ask a series of questions about either state or Trump-related issues before asking their candidate preferences again. In the group asked about local issues — including questions on energy policy, NJ Transit and seizing farmland by eminent domain — Ciattarelli's support among independents grew by 7 points. In the group asked about Trump-related issues — specifically on the budget bill and immigration (no Epstein, sorry!) — Sherrill's support among independents grew by 4 points. Among Democrats and Republicans, however, support barely changed. The poll, conducted between July 17 and 23, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points. And before you ask: Yes, FDU, like most pollsters, significantly overestimated Gov. Phil Murphy's margin over Ciattarelli in the closing days of the 2021 gubernatorial race. FEEDBACK? Reach me at mfriedman@ SHOW ME THE WAY: Acting Gov. Tahesha Way is in Ewing at 11 a.m. for an 'Extreme Heat Preparedness Briefing' QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'I wonder if I'll ever be offered employment again after this. God I hope not.' — Satirical congressional candidate Nick Gebo, who's running a fake campaign (with a real FEC filing) against Rep. Josh Gottheimer to criticize Israel and American political support for it HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Michael Pagan, Martin Nock, Jeff Morris, Jo Ann Povia, Allison Derman, Bill Pascoe WHAT TRENTON MADE SELLITTING EXPECTATIONS — 'Why did Murphy's proposed parole reform stall?' by NJ Spotlight News' Colleen O'Dea: 'Six months ago, Gov. Phil Murphy called for a broad reform of parole to reduce the frequency of people who make small mistakes winding up back in prison in New Jersey. A month later, as part of his budget plan, he announced East Jersey State Prison would be closed and $30 million in savings would result from the reform. Neither of those things happened, at least not yet. Misconceptions about the impact of the proposal, pushback by parole officials and a lack of time to gather consensus have delayed the plan. Whether those issues can be ironed out before Murphy leaves office in mid-January is unclear … [W]hile summaries and bill drafts were shared among the governor's office, legislators and staff, a final, comprehensive parole reform bill, including changes in sanctions for technical violations, was never introduced. 'There was a lot of kind of back and forth between all of the parties, and I think a lot of information that was getting out there about what the bill did and what it didn't do, some of which was accurate, some of which was not, and it just seemed like everybody wanted to take a step back and make sure that we get it right,' said Jennifer Sellitti, the state public defender.' WHERE THERE'S SMOKE THERE'S MONEY — 'New NJ tax hikes kick in, expected to boost revenue by $600M,' by NJ Spotlight News' John Reitmeyer: 'Later this week, smokers in New Jersey will begin paying more in state taxes every time they purchase a pack of cigarettes or cartridges for vaping devices. That increase, due to take effect on Aug. 1, was one of several tax hikes approved by Gov. Phil Murphy and fellow Democrats who control the Legislature during a flurry of activity late last month. Among the other tax increases are higher rates on online gambling and online sports betting in New Jersey. These new rates went into effect earlier this month. A new set of graduated fees on high-dollar real-estate transactions are also now being charged throughout the state due to the fiscal-policy changes approved by Murphy and lawmakers at the end of June. In all, these tax hikes are expected to lift New Jersey's annual revenue collections to a record-high $57.309 billion, according to an updated budget sheet obtained by NJ Spotlight News under the state's public records law.' THE DEBATE OVER DEBATES — The Ciattarelli campaign wants more than just two televised gubernatorial debates and one lieutenant governor for the general election. 'We urge you — in the strongest possible terms — to approve and schedule more than the two gubernatorial debates and a single Lt. Governor's debate required by law. At a minimum, we are willing to double that number in both cases and begin as soon as possible to accommodate the more robust schedule,' Jack Ciattarelli and running mate James Gannon wrote Monday in a letter to ELEC, which requires gubernatorial candidates who receive public financing to participate in two debates. INSIDE THE ACTORS' UNION MEETING —The Actors' Equity Association at its meeting Monday in New York City voted to endorse Democrat Mikie Sherrill for governor of New Jersey. I note this mainly because it's the first time they've endorsed a candidate for New Jersey governor and the union's president is Brooke Shields. That is, if this is a real-life endorsement and not an act. 'We know she will bring that commitment to the highest office in the state of New Jersey, where so many of our members live and work,' Executive Director Al Vincent Jr., who is not Brooke Shields, said in a statement. The union claims a membership of 51,000, about one-third of whom live in New York metro area, which they were smart to call by its Census name that includes two New Jersey cities: the New York-Newark-Jersey City Metropolitan Statistical Area. One of the union's top issues is Trump administration cuts to arts funding. — Edelstein: 'Manhattan may get a casino? Hold my gabagool, says New Jersey' — 'Sherrill opposes Trump plan to use Fort Dix as ICE detention center' — 'What lieutenant governor picks say about NJ's gubernatorial candidates' — Opinion: 'Like D.C., New Jersey has its own unjust budget' TRUMP ERA RESPECT MY AUTHORITABBA — Alina Habba's authority as New Jersey's top prosecutor questioned in new legal filing, by POLITICO's Ry Rivard, Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein: The clash between the Trump administration and the courts over who is leading the U.S. Attorney's Office in New Jersey is already spilling into criminal cases. A defense attorney is trying to get charges against his client thrown out by arguing the Trump administration illegally maneuvered to keep Alina Habba as the state's top federal prosecutor, despite the expiration of her 120-day tenure. The defense filing, made on Sunday, comes after days of confusion over who is leading the office because of complex and contested rules over filling vacancies. In the motion, on behalf of a defendant in a drug and gun-related case, attorney Thomas Mirigliano said a workaround Trump officials found to keep Habba was 'irregular' and unconstitutional. In a nine-page filing, Mirigliano said his client is 'facing an imminent criminal trial proceeding under questionable legal authority' and asked for the charges to be thrown out or that Habba and her assistants be barred from exercising further prosecutorial powers in the case. The problems for the U.S. Attorney's Office could grow if other defense attorneys open a floodgate of similar motions. JUSTICE HABBLED — 'N.J. criminal cases screech to a halt as Habba's authority is challenged,' by The New York Times' Tracey Tully: 'Federal court proceedings throughout New Jersey were abruptly canceled on Monday because of uncertainty over whether Alina Habba had the authority to serve as acting U.S. attorney … Pretrial conferences and hearings set for defendants to enter pleas were called off, according to four lawyers who received word that their clients' scheduled court appearances had been canceled. A grand jury that was expected to meet to consider indicting defendants on new criminal charges was put on hold. And a drug trial that was set to start Aug. 4 in Camden, N.J., was moved to Pennsylvania after a lawyer representing one of the defendants filed a motion arguing that Ms. Habba's prosecutorial authority was unconstitutional. 'I've never seen anything like this,' said Maria Noto, a former president of the Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers of New Jersey. 'We're all incredulous.'' YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT JD VANCE PUT HIS PRINCIPLES IN WRITING AND THEN DIDN'T STICK TO THEM? — 'Trump's personal lawyer became acting U.S. Attorney through legal loophole Republicans once fought,' by NJ Advance Media's Ted Sherman: 'The law was clear, argued members of the U.S. Senate committee. The administration could not name someone to serve in an acting capacity after their nomination had failed. 'This prohibition, which survives a withdrawal of a nomination, makes good sense: otherwise the president could do an end run around the Senate's constitutional advice and consent authority,' they wrote. The letter had nothing to do with last week's move by the Trump administration to install Alina Habba, one of the president's personal attorneys, as U.S. Attorney for New Jersey. It was written two years ago by Senate Republicans objecting to an apparently similar end-run effort by the Biden administration to name Ann Carlson to serve as acting administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Among those signing on to the letter were the then-senator and now Vice President JD Vance and Sen. Ted Cruz.' — 'Op-Ed: How NJ can mitigate 'brutal wave' of Medicaid and health care cuts' — 'John Hsu will challenge Frank Pallone once again in NJ-6 primary' — 'Border patrol agent charged with soliciting sex from officer posing as girl in NJ' LOCAL BERT HURT — 'What does NJ Supreme Court ruling mean for Paterson's ousted police chief?' by the Paterson Press' Joe Malinconico and Darren Tobia: 'For more than two years, Police Chief Engelbert Ribeiro has been collecting his $225,000 annual salary from the city of Paterson while reporting for work at a state law enforcement training job in Trenton. That's the arrangement state officials put in place in 2023 after Attorney General Matthew Platkin seized control of Paterson's police department, relieving Ribeiro of a leadership position he had held for just 24 days. The status of Ribeiro — described by his friends as a man banished in an unjust exile — doesn't seem to be changing after the New Jersey Supreme Court ruling on July 23 that allowed Platkin's takeover of the police department to continue. The lawsuit sought Ribeiro's return to Paterson. But the Supreme Court decision didn't say what should happen with the ousted chief. The AG's office said Ribeiro's assignment to the Police Training Commission has been extended through Nov. 15, with future personnel decisions made 'in accordance with the needs of the department.' 'Bert caught a bad break,' Paterson activist Ernest Rucker said of Ribeiro. 'I've got a lot of respect for Bert.'' NEWARK'S FIRST XXX PROJECT SINCE THE LITTLE THEATRE CLOSED — 'Big-time CitiSquare project in Newark stalled three years after approval. What's next?' by NJ Advance Media's Steve Strunsky: 'Three years ago, on the recommendation of Mayor Ras J. Baraka's administration, the Newark City Council approved a tax abatement plus $18 million in other financial help for a massive $2 billion project known as CitiSquare. The completed project would include 11 apartment towers with 4,200 market-rate and affordable units, which in renderings looked like a modern city unto itself overlooking the Passaic River … Since the council approved the tax breaks in July 2022 after the project had already received planning board approval, there are no visible signs of work on the site, where the first of nine phases was to include a pair of 18-story towers with a total of 598 apartments. CitiSquare remains among the portfolio of projects listed on Accurate's web site, complete with glossy renderings. But rather than being identified as completed or upcoming, as other Accurate projects are, the status of CitiSquare is indicated by a 'XXX,' without explanation.' ACHARCHY IN THE AC — 'Atlantic City Housing Authority to hold emergency meeting Tuesday to authorize response to HUD takeover,' by The Press of Atlantic City's John O'Connor: 'The city's housing authority will hold an emergency meeting Tuesday to formalize its response to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development after it said it would take over the local agency. The meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m. … HUD sent a letter to the Housing Authority last week declaring it in substantial default, U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd, said in a news release. 'Based on the gravity of ACHA's situation, I have determined that it is not appropriate to permit ACHA the opportunity to cure the substantial debt,' said Benjamin Hobbs, principal deputy assistant secretary for HUD. 'Further, I have also determined that the most appropriate substantial default remedy, in the context of the several factual findings made, is for HUD to take possession of the ACHA.'' — 'Longtime manufacturing plant in Sayreville shuttering, 50 jobs slashed' — 'Appellate court orders recount in Roselle council primary' — 'Wildwood Crest pays $2K to attorney in OPRA settlement' — ''Wawa wants to take my property!' Meet the man fighting to stop it' — 'Jersey City BOE race has familiar JCEA ticket, ex-trustee seeking comeback' — 'South Jersey slaughterhouse discharges bloody wastewater into creek, according to the EPA' — 'A year later, a Fort Lee woman killed by police is remembered as a musician 'full of life'' EVERYTHING ELSE ZINNK OR ZWIM — 'Rutgers to hire SEC 'rising star' with ties to new president as athletic director,' by NJ Advance Media's Brian Fonseca and Steve Politi: 'Rutgers is expected to hire LSU executive deputy athletic director and chief operating officer Keli Zinn for its long-vacant athletic director position, multiple people with knowledge of the situation told NJ Advance Media. The long-time college sports official met with Amy Towers, the chair of the Rutgers Board of Governors who is leading the search, in New Brunswick this weekend. The move is expected to be approved by the full Board of Governors at a meeting on Wednesday. The hire puts an end to a months-long saga that began last August with Patrick Hobbs' abrupt resignation, featured two interim ADs and recently included dumping a search firm three months after it was retained to officially launch the process. Unlike previous top candidates Brian Lafemina — a longtime sports executive and alum who turned down the job a month after interviewing for it — and veteran sports marketing administrator Mike Palisi, Zinn has a longstanding relationship with a crucial figure in the process: new Rutgers president William Tate, who hired her at LSU and served as her boss for the past three years.' — 'How Greg Schiano built Rutgers football's infrastructure to adapt to changing landscape' — 'New Rutgers AD Keli Zinn brings an impeccable reputation to an impossible job | Politi' THE PERSON WHO OPENED THE CHECK SAID 'HOLY' SOMETHING — 'Holy Name Medical Center gets $75M donation, one of the biggest ever to a NJ hospital,' by The Record's Scott Fallon: 'Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck has received a $75 million donation in what it believes to be the second largest gift from a single benefactor to a New Jersey hospital and the largest ever to a Catholic hospital in the U.S., executives announced on July 28. The donation comes as Holy Name embarks on major expansion plans … The gift comes from The Douglas M. Noble Family Foundation of Paramus, whose namesake was a longtime North Jersey neuroradiologist who owned and was medical director of The Imaging Center at Morristown. Noble died in 2019 at age 58 after a battle with cancer.'


CNBC
28-07-2025
- Business
- CNBC
Trump Organization says Amazon, Walmart, eBay sellers are hawking knockoff shirts, hats, mugs
The Trump Organization is seeking to prevent some online businesses from hawking counterfeit merchandise promoting President Donald Trump. In a lawsuit filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Florida, the company accused unnamed merchants of selling "inferior imitations" of Trump-branded products on several online marketplaces, including Amazon, Walmart and eBay. The Trump Organization company, which is owned by Trump, sells a variety of branded merchandise through its website, including a gold T1 smartphone. The Trump Organization alleges the online merchants didn't license its trademarks and weren't authorized resellers of genuine merchandise. "By selling counterfeit products that purport to be genuine and authorized products using the TRUMP trademarks, defendants cause confusion and deception in the marketplace," the complaint states. Coffee mugs, hats, t-shirts and sweatshirts emblazoned with "Trump," "Trump 2028," and American flags were among the examples of alleged knockoffs listed in the suit. The Trump Organization didn't include the names of the sellers in its suit. The company intends to file a motion to seal an exhibit listing their identities, according to the complaint. The company is seeking to prevent the merchants from using Trump trademarks. It also asks a judge to compel Amazon and other online marketplaces to destroy the alleged counterfeit goods and close their selling accounts. Representatives from Amazon, Walmart and eBay didn't respond to requests for comment. Amazon, Walmart and eBay all operate thriving online marketplaces that allow third-party businesses to list and sell goods. The companies have all battled issues in the past around the sale of inauthentic or unsafe goods on their platforms. Amazon sellers looked to cash in on Trump's return to the White House earlier this year. Sales of Trump-branded merchandise, including calendars, toilet paper and greeting cards, spiked in January, according to e-commerce marketing company Omnisend, which collected its data from seller software provider JungleScout. In the lead up to last year's election, Amazon sellers made $140 million from Trump-related merchandise and $26 million from products promoting former Vice President and presidential candidate Kamala Harris, Omnisend found.