
It’s no surprise for the President of the United States to find himself in the news. It’s part of the job. However, Donald Trump has had a particularly newsworthy week in an area that often goes unnoticed: American trademark law. The president’s lawyers have been busy submitting requests for new intellectual property (IP) rights and fending off potential trademark infringement.
While the president certainly isn’t dealing with these problems himself, the increasing number of IP issues might soon catch his attention.
Donald Trump Seeking New Trademarks, Defending Old Ones
It made international news when Florida lawmakers voted to rename Palm Beach airport after President Donald Trump. However, eyebrows quickly shot up when the president’s intellectual property company filed to trademark his name for use on airports. This essentially opened the door for Trump to profit from what’s typically considered an honorary naming.
The president also pressured New York to rename an airport after him, offering to unfreeze billions in infrastructure funding if they did so. While it’s unclear how any of this will play out, the president is also facing intellectual property issues that seem more straightforward. Case in point, the “Trump Burger” saga seems to be reaching an inflection point.
People took note when a Texas restaurant chain branded itself as “Trump Burger.” The restaurant was overtly pro-Trump, but it wasn’t linked to the president. Ownership disputes eventually led to a company fracture. Two separate parties claim ownership over the franchise, and one sought to register “MAGA Burger” with the U.S. Trademark Office.
Trump’s people quickly filed a trademark opposition.
Additional Attempts to Profit From the MAGA Movement
Watching the “Trump Burger” fiasco unfold has been interesting. It involved ownership disputes, allegations of sham marriages and visa overstays, lawsuits, and even deportation proceedings. Now that Trump’s lawyers have officially become involved to stop the “MAGA Burger” trademark from going through, the end of this story is likely within sight.
However, it appears the president now has intellectual property disputes on other fronts. Two trademark cancellation filings were filed with the Trademark Office on February 26, 2026, by businesses related to the Trump Organization. These filings targeted existing registrations for “MAGA Rats” and “MAGA Grace.”
The MAGA Rats trademark appears to belong to a Florida company that produces pro-Trump clothing. On the other hand, MAGA Grace is linked to a Chinese company that sells bags and accessories. Considering the president’s hardline stance on intellectual property rights, it’s interesting that these companies were able to secure trademark registration in the first place.
However, this appears to be an oversight that the Trump Organization is ready to correct.
David and David and David Versus Goliath
Some organizations might buckle under the weight of so many simultaneous legal issues. However, the Trump Organization has the resources of a billionaire and the President of the United States at its disposal. There’s little doubt that it will be able to handle new registrations, old fights, and new battles simultaneously.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has consistently upheld the trademark rights of Donald Trump. With the president’s handpicked director at the helm of the agency, it would be unsurprising if his winning streak were to continue. However, it’s hard to deny that mentions of “MAGA” would likely always bring the president to mind. Essentially, the president has a point.
The USPTO will need to decide whether the companies facing opposition and cancellation from the Trump Organization could create consumer confusion by merely existing. If recent history has taught us anything, though, there’s a high likelihood that the POTUS will walk away from these fights with more than he started with.





