Lara Trump is facing another round of ridicule over her growing activewear business after a patriotic new ad campaign featuring horses, “USA” apparel and a “Built for Greatness” message drew some decidedly unflattering responses online.
The 43-year-old daughter-in-law of President Donald Trump unveiled the latest promotion for the Lara Trump Collection over the weekend, appearing in dark athletic wear alongside a horse while sporting a baseball cap emblazoned with “Built for Greatness.”
“Built for more. Built for Greatness,” read the caption accompanying the August 22 post.
The promotion is part of Lara’s expanding clothing venture, which, according to the Lara Trump Collection website, describes itself as an American-made activewear brand offering “high-performance fabrics and versatile styles.” The line sells everything from patriotic T-shirts to leggings, sports bras and other athletic apparel.
Critics Quickly Pounce
But not everyone was interested in the clothes.
Stay up-to-date with the latest news!
Subscribe and start recieving our daily emails.
According to a report on the backlash from the Irish Star, critics descended on the comments beneath Lara’s latest campaign, with some taking aim at her other ventures while others revived an accusation that has increasingly followed members of the Trump family: “grifting.”
“The horse is begging her not to sing,” one commenter joked, apparently referencing Lara’s much-discussed attempts at a music career.
Another wrote, “Guess the singing career didn’t work out.”
But perhaps the most politically pointed reaction was simply: “Grifter.”
Another commenter asked, “Have y’all not taken enough??”
The criticism taps into a larger complaint frequently directed at the Trump family by its opponents—the blending of politics, celebrity and privately owned commercial ventures.
In Lara’s case, that overlap is particularly noticeable.
She isn’t simply the president’s daughter-in-law. Lara previously served as co-chair of the Republican National Committee and now hosts My View with Lara Trump on Fox News. Her official Fox News biography also identifies her as the owner and CEO of her fitness clothing brand.
Politics, Television—and Now Activewear
The latest campaign isn’t an isolated promotion.
Lara has spent months heavily advertising her clothing line on social media, frequently serving as her own model and incorporating unmistakably patriotic imagery into the brand.
The official Lara Trump Collection prominently features red, white and blue merchandise, “USA” apparel and other products built around an overtly American aesthetic.
That combination makes it increasingly difficult to separate the Lara Trump political persona from the Lara Trump commercial brand.
And critics have noticed.
A previous promotional video featured Lara modeling her “Signature” activewear beside a red pickup truck and horse. “Confidence starts with what you wear,” the promotional post declared.
Earlier campaigns have similarly leaned heavily into Americana imagery, including USA tops, red-white-and-blue clothing, pickup trucks and patriotic branding.
The Trump Family Business Criticism Isn’t New
The “grifter” accusations also arrive amid broader scrutiny of the Trump family’s business activities while Donald Trump occupies the White House.
The Associated Press has documented concerns raised by ethics experts over the intersection of Trump’s presidency and his family’s expanding business interests, an issue that has repeatedly followed the president throughout his political career.
Lara’s venture is different from businesses directly owned by the president, but her unusual collection of roles makes the optics difficult to ignore.
She simultaneously occupies several worlds: presidential family member, former Republican Party official, Fox News host, conservative political personality and activewear entrepreneur.
Her own personal website underscores just how closely those identities now coexist, promoting both her media career and her commercial ventures.
There is, of course, nothing inherently unusual about a television personality launching a clothing company. Lara Trump is hardly the first public figure to capitalize on a recognizable name.
But critics see something different when that recognizable name belongs to the sitting president’s family—and when the merchandise itself borrows heavily from the patriotic imagery associated with his political movement.
For supporters, it may simply be savvy branding.
For critics flooding Lara’s latest promotional posts, however, the seemingly endless parade of Trump family business ventures has become something else entirely.
And judging by the reaction to Lara posing beside a horse in her latest “Built for Greatness” campaign, they have a familiar word for it: “grifting.”
Features image via Instagram screenshot
