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Former President Donald Trump on Sunday broke his silence on the Bud Light boycott, writing in a social media post that the beer maker's loss in sales shows that "money does talk."
The MAGA leader made the jab on his Truth Social platform while praising a new book that calls to "defund leftist woke companies." Trump has been uncharacteristically silent amid the ongoing controversy over the popular beer brand's decision to partner with a transgender influencer, and many people have criticized the Republican for failing to weigh in on the highly publicized debate for over a month, as other notable GOP figures have been boycotting the company since early April.
The backlash against Bud Light and its parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev began after transgender model Dylan Mulvaney posted a video to her social media followers on April 1 where she said that Bud Light had sent her a personalized can with her face on it. After Mulvaney promoted the can on her social media accounts, multiple right-wing politicians and celebrities announced they would boycott Anheuser-Busch InBev in response. Trump, known for his outspoken tendencies and prolific social media use, remained silent until Sunday afternoon.
"It's time to beat the Radical Left at their own game. Money does talk—Anheuser-Busch now understands that. Great new Book by Wayne Allyn Root. Buy your copy today," he said on Truth Social.
Newsweek reached out via email to representatives for Trump.
Trump's comment references the news that Bud Light sales dropped multiple weeks in a row, with recent figures showing sales volumes of Bud Light had fallen by 21 percent in the week ending April 21. Those protesting the brand celebrated the decline in sales as a sign that their action is having an impact on the company, which has faced accusations of alienating its customer base.
Many of those who expressed disappointment in Trump for staying mum on such a controversial issue pointed to his millions of dollars in Anheuser Busch InBev stock ownership as the cause. Trump's most recent 101-page disclosures form, filed with the Federal Election Commission and shared online by The New York Times in April, shows that he owns between $1 million and $5 million in Anheuser Busch InBev.
While the former president kept quiet about the Bud Light outrage, his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., came under fire from MAGA supporters last month after he defended Anheuser Busch and called for the boycott to end.
On a broadcast of his Triggered podcast, Trump Jr. provoked the ire of conservatives when he said: "I'm not for destroying an American, an iconic company, for something like this."
During a call with investors on Thursday, Michel Doukeris, Anheuser-Busch inBev CEO, spoke about decline, saying the company has "significantly increased our investments" in Bud Light.
"This was the result of one can," he said on the call. "It was not made for production or sale to general public. It was one post, not a formal campaign or advertisement."
About the writer
Maura Zurick is the Newsweek Weekend Night Editor based in Cleveland, Ohio. Her focus is reporting on U.S. national news ... Read more