Donald Trump launches bizarre new series of trading cards

A new series of digital trading cards featuring Donald Trump has dropped in which he appears in everything from golden shoes to an Iron Man-like suit.

Donald Trump has launched a bizarre batch of digital trading cards where he can be seen dancing, posing as “sneakerhead” in his own line of golden shoes and even appearing in an Iron Man-like suit.

The “America First Collection” of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) is the fourth in a series of the cards Mr Trump has released.

“By popular demand, I’m doing a new series of Trump digital trading cards. You all know what they are, we’ve had a lot of fun with them,” Mr Trump said in a Truth Social video, adding that they can be purchased with credit cards or cryptocurrency.
“They call me the crypto president, I don’t know if that’s true or not … go right now and collect your piece of American history.”

Some of the Trump trading cards on sale.

Trump in a pair of his golden sneakers.

The new cards are selling for $US99 ($A146) each but pricier packages are also on offer which include Trump sneakers or a physical card with a piece of the suit he wore during the presidential debate with Joe Biden, according to the product’s website.

“People are calling it ‘the knockout’ suit – I don’t know’ – but that’s what they’re calling it.” Mr Trump said.

He also said he would be randomly signing five of the physical cards.

“This is something to give to your family, your kids, your grandchildren,” he said.
Those who buy 75 digital cards are promised a “gala dinner” with the former president next month at his country club in Jupiter, Florida.
Mr Trump has previously said his digital cards generated more than $US4m ($A5.9m) in revenue, despite widespread criticism of the product.

Similarly, the new release has also come under fire with some calling the move “desperate”.

“You can get a piece of Trump’s suit.” Desperate for cash, Trump is back to selling digital trading cards. pic.twitter.com/OlzMVlHb7J

— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) August 27, 2024

SURPRISE TWIST IN TRUMP-HARRIS DEBATE

The US presidential debate is back on after Donald Trump and Kamala Harris reached an agreement over the rules, according to the former president.

Mr Trump said on Truth Social that the September debate was now “confirmed” after the Harris campaign sought to change the rules to have microphones “hot” for the duration of the debate.

“The Rules will be the same as the last CNN Debate, which seemed to work out well for everyone except, perhaps, Crooked Joe Biden. The Debate will be ‘stand up,’ and Candidates cannot bring notes, or ‘cheat sheets’,” he said.

“We have also been given assurance by ABC that this will be a “fair and equitable” Debate, and that neither side will be given the questions in advance (No Donna Brazile!).”

The highly-anticipated showdown between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump has been confirmed, according to the former president. Picture: AFP

While Mr Trump did not explicitly mention the microphones in his post, the same rules as the CNN debate would mean that they would be muted while the other candidate speaks.

It will be held in the critical battleground state of Pennsylvania on September 10, local time, and be broadcast live on the US’s ABC News, “by far the nastiest and most unfair newscaster in the business”.

Mr Trump added that a proposed first debate on proposed for September 4, local time, on Fox News was rejected by Harris campaign.

“That date will be held open in case she changes her mind or, Flip Flops, as she has done on every single one of her long held and cherished policy beliefs,” Mr Trump said.

“A possible third Debate, which would go to NBC FAKE NEWS, has not been agreed to by the Radical Left.”

DEBATE IMPLODES OVER RULE DISPUTE

Donald Trump accused Kamala Harris of attempting to back out of the highly-anticipated presidential debate after the Democratic candidate demanded a last-minute rule change.

The Harris campaign reportedly wants to reverse a rule imposed by Joe Biden to mute microphones when she faces off against Mr Trump in September.

It comes after Mr Trump defeated Mr Biden so comprehensively in their first debate, which muted candidates’ microphones when not talking, that the president was forced off the Democratic ticket in favour of Ms Harris.

“The truth is they’re trying to get out of it because she doesn’t want to debate. She’s not a good debater, she’s not a smart person, she doesn’t want to debate,” Mr Trump said at a campaign event in Virginia.

“But when I looked at the hostility during the weekend, you watch it, This Week with George Slopadopolus,” he added, referencing ABC News presenter George Stephanopoulos, who could potentially moderate the ABC News and control the microphone mute button.

Donald Trump speaks alongside Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Virginia Hung Cao at the Truong Tien Vietnamese restaurant. Picture: Getty Images

The Harris campaign wants to change the agreed debate rules and keep the microphones “hot” at all times, according to Politico, despite previously goading Mr Trump for suggesting the debate rules were open for renegotiation following Mr Biden’s withdrawal.

“So he won’t debate me, but he and his running mate have a lot to say about me,” Ms Harris said at a campaign rally in July. “Well Donald. I do hope you’ll reconsider. Meet me on the debate stage … because as the saying goes, if you’ve got something to say, say it to my face.”

Mr Trump offered three debates on Fox News, ABC News and NBC News but the Harris campaign has only committed to the ABC News debate on September 10, local time.

Despite being a “red line” rule for the Biden campaign to agree to his ill-fated CNN debate, the muted microphone was largely seen as a benefit to Mr Trump by preventing interruptions to Mr Biden’s unforced errors.

During the 2020 election, Mr Trump’s aggressive interruptions were widely seen as handing Mr Biden the win in their three presidential debates.

Trump’s campaign team wants the microphones to remain muted throughout the debate, per the agreement with Mr Biden, with senior adviser Jason Miller saying that the Harris campaign also asked for seated candidates, with notes and opening statements.

“Enough with the games. We accepted the ABC debate under the exact same terms as the CNN debate,” he said.

“Interesting that this is only coming up now that the Harris campaign has started their debate prep. Even their own campaign spokesman said the debate about debates was over. Clearly, they’re seeing something they don’t like.”

The Harris campaign’s senior adviser Brian Fallon confirmed in a statement they want microphones live throughout the whole broadcast.

“Our understanding is that Trump’s handlers prefer the muted microphone because they don’t think their candidate can act presidential for 90 minutes on his own,” he said.

Donald Trump lays a wreath to honour the 13 Americans killed during the withdrawal from Afghanistan three years ago. Picture: AFP

Mr Trump was joined Marine Cpl. Kelsee Lainhart (Ret.) and U.S. Marine Corps. Sergeant Tyler Vargas-Andrews (Ret.) who were injured at the Abbey Gate Bombing. Picture: AFP

“We suspect Trump’s team has not even told their boss about this dispute because it would be too embarrassing to admit they don’t think he can handle himself against Vice President Harris without the benefit of a mute button.”

Despite his advisers’ preference for muted microphones, Mr Trump said he’d prefer to have them on at all times.

“We agreed to the same rules, I don’t know, doesn’t matter to me, I’d rather have it probably on, but the agreement was that it would be the same as it was last time.

“In that case, it was muted. I didn’t like it the last time, but it worked out fine. Ask Biden how it worked out, it was fine, and I think it should be the same,” he added, before casting doubt on whether there should be a debate at all.

CNN muted microphones during the first debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Picture: AFP

“When I looked at the hostility of that, I said, ‘Why am I doing it? Let’s do it with another network.’ I want to do it.”

Mr Trump spent the past two days railing against ABC News’ for what he called were “biased” interviews of Republicans like Senator Tom Cotton, asking on Truth Social why he should debate Ms Harris on the network.

“When is Comrade Kamala Harris going to start answering questions?” Mr Trump asked on social media.

“Kamala refuses to do Interviews, because she has NO CONFIDENCE in her own level of “Intelligence,” and now wants to change the Rules of the Debate on ABC Fake News!”