Trump Org Files Trademark Application for ‘TRUMP TV’
Donald Trump’s private company, Trump Org, has filed a trademark application for ‘TRUMP TV.’
The application was filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office at 11:20 a.m. ET on September 24. It seeks to protect ‘TRUMP TV’ as the name of a television station, a television show, and even a mobile app.
Three days before the application was filed, on September 21, the White House launched ‘TRUMP TV.’
The ‘TRUMP TV’ channel was created after President Trump barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico reporters from White House grounds, accusing the organizations of unfair and inaccurate coverage.
In response to this action, other major television networks then suspended their participation in the White House television press pool, meaning that there was virtually no TV coverage of Trump.
Against that backdrop, the White House launched its own channel, calling it ‘TRUMP TV.’
That said, the timing of the trademark filing shows just how quickly ‘TRUMP TV’ was rushed into existence.
Typically, a company would file a trademark in advance of a new product launch to protect the name before it is announced. This filing, on the other hand, appears to have been reactive. It shows that Trump Org likely realized it needed to protect ‘TRUMP TV’ after the White House launched the channel.
The reception to ‘TRUMP TV’ from the public has been muted. According to news reports, the channel peaked at around 8,000 viewers.
Trump’s Private Company, not the White House, Filed the ‘TRUMP TV’ Trademark
One of the more interesting aspects of the ‘TRUMP TV’ trademark filing was that it was made by DTTM Operations LLC, not the White House or another government entity.
This LLC is the private Trump company responsible for holding and managing trademarks associated with the Trump brand.
That distinction could prove significant.
‘TRUMP TV’ was introduced as a White House communications platform centered on coverage of Trump’s presidency. But the trademark application places ownership of the brand with Trump’s private company.
For the US Government to use the trademark, it would need a licensing agreement from Trump Org, much like the licensing agreement that Palm Beach County needed for the renaming of the Airport.
This raises the question of what benefit Trump Org might receive from such a licensing arrangement.
While the Federal Government does not necessarily need to pay Trump Org a licensing fee, there is arguably value created for Trump Org if the President is actively promoting a trademark that the company owns.
For now, the next step would be for the USPTO to review the application.
It currently takes the agency, which is run by the Executive Branch, about five months to conduct its initial review of newly filed trademark applications.
Josh Gerben, Esq.
Josh Gerben, Esq. is a nationally recognized trademark attorney and the founder of Gerben IP. Since launching the firm in 2008, he has overseen the registration of over 10,000 trademarks and handled over 1,500 trademark disputes. Josh's practice focuses on building and defending global trademark portfolios for clients. These clients include entrepreneurs, private equity-backed businesses, athletes, celebrities, and public companies. Frequently quoted by major media outlets like CNBC, CNN, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal, Josh is widely regarded as a leading authority in trademark law.
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