Former Republican President Donald Trump teased a "major announcement" on his Truth Social platform.
After his post, seen below, people and pundits speculated Trump would be announcing a running mate for his 2024 presidential bid.
Or maybe his desire to be Speaker of the House under a Republican majority House of Representatives.
@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social
It turned out to just be his foray into NFT sales.
@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social
You can see his "major announcement" here:
\u201cBeyond fucking parody. \ud83d\ude02\nhttps://t.co/QQd3usUKbt\u201d— Jo \ud83c\udf3b (@Jo \ud83c\udf3b) 1671123125
NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, are cryptographic tokens existing on a digital ledger called a blockchain.
But unlike cryptocurrencies, NFTs are unique, more transparent and therefore not interchangeable.
The incorruptible stored units of data can represent tangible items like artwork, music, collectibles and in Trump's case trading cards.
The potential of eventually tokenizing real-world assets like real estate would be an efficient way to buy, sell and trade while also reducing the chances of fraudulent activity.
The 45th President–who lied about voter fraud in the 2020 election and incited the US Capitol insurrection to overturn President Biden's victory–directed followers to collecttrumpcards.com where he's hawking $99 trading cards.
The artwork of the cards depict Trump as a muscular superhero with laserbeams shooting from his eyes, an astronaut, a John Wayne-like cowboy and him standing in front of a “Trumpworld” sign.
\u201c@MollyJongFast https://t.co/oapKs2SRyh\u201d— Molly Jong-Fast (@Molly Jong-Fast) 1671121218
\u201chttps://t.co/dBWg5Uh1Cl\u201d— MAGA are Fascists \u2741 \u1d56\u1d43\u02b3\u1d52\u1d48\u02b8 (@MAGA are Fascists \u2741 \u1d56\u1d43\u02b3\u1d52\u1d48\u02b8) 1671120558
\u201chttps://t.co/cgSB2xdrkp\u201d— MAGA are Fascists \u2741 \u1d56\u1d43\u02b3\u1d52\u1d48\u02b8 (@MAGA are Fascists \u2741 \u1d56\u1d43\u02b3\u1d52\u1d48\u02b8) 1671120577
\u201chttps://t.co/ldRqb5ynKv\u201d— MAGA are Fascists \u2741 \u1d56\u1d43\u02b3\u1d52\u1d48\u02b8 (@MAGA are Fascists \u2741 \u1d56\u1d43\u02b3\u1d52\u1d48\u02b8) 1671120592
His bizarre enterprise left social media users scratching their heads and trying to differentiate between what is fiction and reality.
\u201cHOW IS THIS REAL LIFE\u201d— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) 1671125914
\u201c@RonFilipkowski So we tore the Country apart for this... Wow. Just wow.\u201d— Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1671123308
As his 2024 presidential campaign has seen a slump weeks after officially declaring, Trump announced his new endeavor and introduced himself as:
"...hopefully your favorite President of all time."
"Better than Lincoln, better than Washington."
"I'm doing my first official Donald J. Trump NFT collection right here and right now."
He announced his Trump Digital Trading Cards, which he said:
"Features some of the really incredible artwork pertaining to my life and my career."
\u201c@MeidasTouch Captain space fart.\u201d— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) 1671125914
\u201c@MeidasTouch Vibing the Joe Biden aviators... can't even do his own thing.\n\n#DigitalTraitorCards\n\nStill wondering when this "life event" happened...\u201d— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) 1671125914
\u201cAll I can say is that those of us who have lost friends, fought with relatives, resigned positions, been called traitor, left our party, all because we saw very clearly what a con-man, huckster and fraud this man is, have never felt more vindicated.\u201d— Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1671123308
\u201c@MeidasTouch I guess all that Dark Brandon stuff has hurt his feelings. First he copied the laser eyes, now the aviators.\nBut it shouldn't surprise anyone. He's never been known to have an original thought.\u201d— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) 1671125914
The twice-impeached former President continued:
"It's been very exciting. You can collect your digital cards just like a baseball card or other collectibles."
\u201c@MollyJongFast \u201cVery much like a baseball card, but hopefully much more exciting\u201d is no doubt the precise moment when Sedition Grandpa overruled his digital media strategist\u2019s draft text and inserted his own qualifier\u201d— Molly Jong-Fast (@Molly Jong-Fast) 1671121218
\u201c@MeidasTouch It's a small leap for man\nbut a YUGE fekkin laugh for mankind.\u201d— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) 1671125914
\u201c@FvckTrumps\u201d— MAGA are Fascists \u2741 \u1d56\u1d43\u02b3\u1d52\u1d48\u02b8 (@MAGA are Fascists \u2741 \u1d56\u1d43\u02b3\u1d52\u1d48\u02b8) 1671120558
Trump added each card came with an automatic opportunity to win prizes such as having dinner with him.
"I don't know if that's an amazing prize but it's what we have."
Another prize he mentioned was a chance to go golfing with him at one of his "beautiful golf courses."
Trump said he was additionally offering Zoom calls, one-on-one meetings, autographed memorabilia "and so much more" as additional prizes.
The Trump Digital Trading cards are priced at $99, which 45 suggested was worth it for the value collectors were getting.
\u201c@MollyJongFast Oh, it\u2019s even better. Each purchase enters you in a sweepstakes. You can have dinner at ML with TFG, or play 1 hr of golf w/him, or have Zoom meeting w/him . . . Nothing SNL can do to parody this will be stranger than the truth.\u201d— Molly Jong-Fast (@Molly Jong-Fast) 1671121218
\u201c@RonFilipkowski There's really no place for "The Onion" or the movie "Idiocracy" anymore is there?\u201d— Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1671123308
"Buy one and you will join a very exclusive community," he said.
"It's my community and I think it's something that you're going to like, and you're going to like it a lot."
He claimed the cards make a perfect gift and can be purchased by credit card or crypto.
On Truth Social, Trump urged his base to:
“GET YOUR CARDS NOW! Only $99 each! Would make a great Christmas gift. Don’t Wait. They will be gone, I believe, very quickly!”
\u201c@MeidasTouch But at least there is a strict 'Maximum' purchase limit... so we know there will be enough available for everyone - \ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02\u201d— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) 1671125914
\u201c@MollyJongFast It could not have been scripted better if someone had tried\ud83e\udd23 this is hilarious!! \n\nWe\u2019re all out here like \u201cHe\u2019s announcing Kari Lake is hi running mate,\u201d and it\u2019s some Pok\u00e9mon card stuff \ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\u201d— Molly Jong-Fast (@Molly Jong-Fast) 1671121218
\u201c@MollyJongFast I\u2019ll wait til the 2nd impeachment commemorative cards to come out before I pull the trigger.\n\nAnd start saving money for the Special Edition Treasonous Acts Edition is available.\u201d— Molly Jong-Fast (@Molly Jong-Fast) 1671121218
\u201c@RonFilipkowski @lyndastraffin Oooooo, $99 for a tiny chance to win a Zoom meeting with the last President, be still my heart!\u201d— Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1671123308
\u201c@RonFilipkowski\u201d— Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1671123308
Trump's "major announcement" with his venture follows the plummet of NFT trading sales by 97% since the start of the year, which came amid uncertainties regarding the stability of the digital asset market.