Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was attacked during a campaign event in Pennsylvania on July 13, resulting in an ear injury.
Chinese e-commerce platforms quickly launched various merchandise related to the incident, such as T-shirts featuring images of the attack on Trump. One keychain, depicting “Assassinated Leaders of the U.S. and Japan,” sparked controversy.
Following the attack on Trump, an image of him raising his fist, with blood on the right side of his face, surrounded by Secret Service agents and the American flag in the background, went viral on social media and television.
Shortly after the incident, Chinese e-commerce platforms released a keychain titled “Assassinated Leaders of the U.S. and Japan,” which linked former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and former U.S. President Donald Trump, all of whom had been shot. This sparked controversy.
According to Japanese media outlet Sankei Shimbun, the keychain featured three keyholes at the locations where the individuals were shot: Kennedy on the right side of his forehead, Abe on the upper left chest, and Trump on the right ear. The design was deemed highly disrespectful and distasteful. Sankei Shimbun reported that the keychain was manufactured in Yiwu, Zhejiang, but was not available on major e-commerce platforms like Tmall and Taobao, only on Pinduoduo, where it was priced at 7.2 RMB. It has since been removed from sale.
Chinese netizens shared screenshots of chats with Taobao sellers indicating that the keychain is now banned from sale on e-commerce platforms, with penalties for production. Netizens also warned on social media, “Don’t touch Trump-related merchandise; policies have been issued, and there’s a risk of store closure.”
