Tucker Carlson’s online store offers right-wing merchandise, including Supreme-style streetwear hoodies mocking Somali people and mugs with The Godfather imagery altered to feature AIPAC. Recently, unexpected items gained attention beyond his regular audience: a red and yellow “NY Commie” baseball cap with a mirrored hammer and sickle replacing the “C”, a cap with “Neocons are gay for Israel”, and an “I HEART NICOTINE” mug.
The merchandise seemed to attract irony-filled leftists who prefer mocking the imagined Communist takeover of New York rather than avoiding mentioning Democratic Socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani. A post on X questioned the morality of buying appealing merchandise from an ideological opponent. An Instagram video with 4.7 million views expressed a desire for the items to become second-hand store finds, as a socialist mentioned not being able to support it. A worker-owned media company already created similar products for a “F*ck Tucker Carlson” collection.
Carlson is familiar with product promotion, selling nicotine pouches as an alternative to Zyn, which he dismisses as too liberal and feminine. The new merchandise, seen as “fire” and going “kinda hard” is niche in the online space. While progressives aren’t flocking to purchase from Carlson’s store, the episode highlights the trend of content creators expanding into branded physical goods.
After his departure from Fox News, Carlson has been active in digital media, co-mingling with white supremacists and encouraging the spread of his podcast clips. His activities include producing lengthy podcasts and promoting discount codes for anti-woke brands. Viral merchandise became his next venture.
For many influencers, real revenue often comes from non-content sources like brand deals, ads, and increasingly, merchandise. MrBeast is an example: his costly videos serve as marketing for his successful food line. Influencers use social media followings to launch ventures — beauty lines, matcha brands, activewear, and more — moving beyond earning commissions to selling personal products. TikTok’s Khaby Lame, with a likeness deal worth $975 million, exemplifies the creator economy’s evolution.
Merchandise remains key to the MAGA movement’s identity. Nick Shirley, a right-wing vlogger, similarly released merchandise mocking those featured in his viral Minneapolis fraud video. Trump Organization has pursued legal avenues to control merchandise sales, underscoring its significance. Donald Trump, akin to a content creator, would brand anything for sale.
Carlson’s edgy merchandise reflects this trend. His team didn’t respond to sales inquiries from The Verge. The “NY Commie” hat resonates with diverse audiences, illustrating marketing savvy. It appeals to genuine believers of a New York radical takeover and Brooklyn DSA members alike. Ultimately, the attention it garners — even if sales aren’t substantial — highlights Carlson’s strategy to reach new audiences via consumer culture, regardless of video viewership.