Trumpy Bear is Back! But is it Made in USA?

By Elizabeth Brotherton-Bunch
Aug 13 2020 |
Innovation
YouTube

We actually have a lot of questions.

On Tuesday night, a weird conversation started brewing on Politics Twitter about… a stuffed toy. One that closely resembles the current president.

Immediately, speculation about the bear began. Where did it come from? Who was selling it? Could it even be tied to the vast QAnon conspiracy theory?

Well, no.

But hey, even Bette Midler weighed in!

As it turns out, Trumpy Bear has been around for years. It first launched back in 2017 (it was “born” on June 14, which is Flag Day, natch) and has been spoofed by the likes of Jimmy Kimmel. The toy bear even has its own page on Snopes.

Trumpy Bear was thrust back into the spotlight this week because ads promoting it began running on Fox News. We’d try to describe the “fearless, super plush, American grizzly,” but it’s really just better if you watch for yourself:

Despite the strategic placement of a certain bright red baseball cap throughout the ad, Trumpy Bear isn’t affiliated with the Donald Trump presidential campaign. It’s actually the brainchild of V.L. Lange, and promoted by Texas marketing firm Exceptional Products, which also hawks things like the Wrap Snap & Go and the Save a Blade.

Upon seeing the Trumpy Bear ad, many of us at the Alliance for American Manufacturing had a number of questions. Shouldn’t Trumpy Bear wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle? Isn’t it uncomfortable for Trumpy Bear to have a huge American flag blanket up his backside all the time?

And above all: Is Trumpy Bear Made in America, or is he just wrapping himself in the red, white and blue?

We weren't alone. The Washington Post conducted its own investigation into this very topic in 2018 and found that “Trumpy Bear, is, in fact, a native of China.”

Reminds us of his namesake. Sad!

There’s nothing we hate more at the Alliance for American Manufacturing than when companies trade on patriotism but manufacture their goods overseas. This case is particularly infuriating because the Trumpy Bear comes with an American flag (which, we'll add, is definitely not following flag etiquette).

So instead of spending two easy payments of $19.95 on Trumpy Bear, we suggest purchasing an American-made stuffed animal instead. There’s the handmade toys from the Vermont Teddy Bear company, for example, or the comforting pup known as Trouble the Dog.