On Monday’s CNN NewsNight, MAGA messenger Batya Ungar-Sargon made a comment that's been called out-of-touch, classist, and completely inaccurate.
The roundtable style program was discussing the Trump administration's tariffs. On April 30, MAGA Republican President Donald Trump said himself that his tariffs meant children will probably have fewer toys.
The switch from Trump's presidential campaign's prosperity rhetoric has been replaced with tales of the virtues of austerity. MAGA minions like Ungar-Sargon are now parroting that message in mainstream and social media.
In Monday’s discussion on CNN, the ardent Trump supporter even repeated Trump's message about "two dolls instead of 30 dolls."
You can see the clip here:
Ungar-Sargon said:
"You know what? This is kind of making me think a lot about—is the fact that every rich person I know, their daughter has 2 or 3 dolls, maybe a couple American Girl dolls, 2 or 3 expensive, nice dolls, and no crap from China."
"But if you go into a broke person‘s house, that floor is littered with broken toys from the dollar store."
Newsnight host Abby Phillip responded:
"So now we‘re shaming people?"
Fellow panelist Jason Carter quipped:
"Barbie-shaming."
A new American Girl doll retails around $125. Some stripped-down models sell for around $90, while custom ones—where the buyer chooses the doll's appearance to match the child getting the doll—are over $300.
Ungar-Sargon added Trump's tariffs on toys would give poorer consumers the "opportunity" to purchase the quality items the rich usually buy.
Phillip countered Ungar-Sargon's commentary, stating:
"People who really don’t have a lot of money, here’s what they’re really thinking. They’re not thinking, 'I want to buy the most expensive doll for my child'."
"They’re thinking, 'I want to buy a doll for my child so that I can also afford food. I can also afford clothes. I can also afford to send them to school'."
“So the idea that the whole thing is about buying more and more expensive goods, that seems to completely miss the point about what’s happening in terms of people who are actually struggling in this country."
A fact check on Ungar-Sargon's "made in the USA" claim was also required and social media was happy to provide one.
It turns out, American Girl dolls are manufactured where most of the MAGA merch is made: China.
We don’t want thirty dolls or even three. We’re gonna be lucky to have one doll for Christmas, Mr. Trump. Only a man as greedy and money grubbing as you could possibly assume every little American girl is desperately demanding thirty dolls from their parents for Christmas. There is no joke but you.
— humorlessskuld.bsky.social (@humorlessskuld.bsky.social) May 7, 2025 at 12:36 AM
can I just say, as a member of American Girl Doll Collector instagram, everyone over there is having an absolute field day memeing this 😂
— Sarah Tolcser (@tolcser.bsky.social) May 4, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Introducing the new American Girl doll! Meet Covfefe! She comes with exciting accessories like plastic straws and a small screwdriver set for her factory job! She’s not vaccinated or educated and has no rights! What girl doesn’t dream of getting a doll (or two! But not 30) like Covfefe! #TwoDolls
— Chineburlai (@vikingkim5.bsky.social) May 1, 2025 at 8:25 AM
@aprilwolfe/Bluesky
@itsnotnotfunny/X
Batya Ungar-Sargon is a Trump puppet who obviously has never struggled a day in her life. Go buy an American Girl doll for your kid and go to bed.
— Girl Everyday (@girleveryday.bsky.social) May 5, 2025 at 11:04 PM
American Girl dolls don't appear to have ever been made in the USA.
The company headquarters was in Wisconsin at one time, but production was originally based in Germany. Manufacturing was moved to China after Mattel purchased the American Girl doll company—originally the Pleasant Company—in 1998.
Mattel—the company built by Barbie dolls—announced Monday it would have to raise prices on its products due to Trump’s tariffs.