Trump Cashes In On 'Racist Dog-Whistle' Speech Line With New $50 Hat
President Donald Trump is hawking a new $50 hat emblazoned with the slogan “American Dreamer.”
At first, the navy blue headwear sold on Trump’s official website may appear inoffensive. But the slogan actually references a particularly divisive line from Trump’s first State of the Union speech in January, which critics described as “a racist dog-whistle against immigrants.”
During his address to Congress, Trump doubled down on his administration’s uncompromising immigration policies and said it was his duty was “to defend Americans, to protect their safety, their families, their communities and their right to the American Dream. Because Americans are dreamers, too.”
Some perceived the statement as a swipe at Dreamers, the children of undocumented immigrants who were previously protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Trump terminated the program in September 2017 and Congress has yet to agree on a substitute.
The “Americans are dreamers, too” line was also endorsed by white nationalist Richard Spencer and former KKK grand wizard David Duke.
Thank you President Trump. Americans are "Dreamers" too.
— David Duke (@DrDavidDuke) January 31, 2018
“Americans are dreamers, too.”
~Donald Trump pic.twitter.com/nZmUFBWMCE— Richard 🐉 Spencer (@RichardBSpencer) January 31, 2018
The fact that Trump is now attempting to cash in on the phrase has not gone over well on Twitter:
The Trump Dreamer hat, there’s a disturbing metaphor here. Also is this hat made in Mexico?
— Molly Jong-Fast🗑🐼 (@MollyJongFast) February 28, 2018
Gotcha. I think this hat, and the sentiment behind “American Dreamers” and “Americans are Dreamers too,” is to attack and further dehumanize us as people. Period. Trump still calls us illegals.
— Juan Escalante (@JuanSaaa) February 28, 2018
These Trump hats get worse and worse https://t.co/OkunkPWUz3
— Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) February 28, 2018
I say this in all sincerity:
I cannot believe the Trump store isn't selling a MAGA dog-whistle. https://t.co/iigrVoGYv6— Brock Wilbur (@brockwilbur) February 28, 2018
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
