US president Donald J. Trump’s swelling trademark portfolio in China has—once again—raised eyebrows over potential conflicts of interest, after the Chinese government granted him pre-approval to 35 new marks in recent weeks.
US president Donald J. Trump’s swelling trademark portfolio in China has—once again—raised eyebrows over potential conflicts of interest, after the Chinese government granted him pre-approval to 35 new marks in recent weeks.
At the heart of the controversy is whether Trump has received any special treatment from Chinese authorities in nailing these trademarks, and if so whether that would reach the level of the “emoluments clause” of the US Constitution, which bars US officials from receiving gifts or fees from a foreign state without the consent of Congress.
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Critics have pointed to the abrupt turn in an earlier episode of Trump’s trademark registration applications. Last November, Trump won pre-approval to register a trademark for construction services, after struggling for a decade to win back his name rights from a Chinese trademark squatter.
Did it become easier for Trump to register trademarks in China after he declared his candidacy, and even more so once he became president? Is the Chinese government trying to curry favor with Trump through trademark deals (though it has denied that)? It’s still too early to read much into these trademarks approvals, but the development is certainly worth watching. Trump now has 77 trademarks in effect in China. He is likely to register more, and is also due to renew most of the old ones during his term.
Here’s a timeline of Trump’s China trademark controversy:
