Donald Trump NFTs: former US President returns to Instagram after 2 years to promote digital trading cards

Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States, returned to Instagram after a more than two-year break to promote the second series of his digital trading card NFTs - and they’ve already sold out.

The one-term president, and first serving or former American president to face criminal charges, was suspended from Facebook and Instagram on 6 January 2021 following the Capitol riot which resulted in five deaths (three from natural causes) and was followed by the suicide of four officers on duty during the event.  

This month Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony charges, including charges in relation to the payment of $130,000 to his lawyer Michael Cohen in reimbursement for hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels days before the 2016 presidential election.

But the entrepreneur, reality TV star, Home Alone 2 actor, and politician, who plans to run for re-election in 2024 was back on social media this week making a quick but from a series of surreal non-fungible tokens (NFTs). 

What are the Donald Trump NFTs?

An NFT is a unique digital asset which exists on a blockchain, a digital ledger recording the NFTs existence. Trump released the first set of NFTs featuring edited images of himself stylised as - among other things - a superhero. He sold the first set for $99 dollars a pop, and his army of adoring fans ensured that they quickly sold out. 

On Tuesday 18 April, Trump released the no doubt highly anticipated second series of NFTs. In an orgy of self-adoration, Trump released a video announcing the new set of cards to his Instagram, in which he said: “This is your favourite president Donald Trump with some news you are going to really love … the original cards sold out so fast everybody is asking me to do another series”. He also referred to the NFTs as the ‘greatest trading cards in history’.

The latest series of NFTs reflect how Trump presents himself to his MAGA followers - as a true American hero. In one of the digital cards Trump appears as a shredded superhero/wrestler with a gold belt inscribed with ‘Trump Champion’ - he also wears an American flag cape.

In a second card he appears as a rockstar, clad in black leather, strumming a red electric guitar and singing into a gold microphone. In this card, he must have taken some fashion tips from his successor Joe Biden, as he is wearing a pair of aviator sunglasses. 

But things get weirder - there's cards of Trump riding a golden surfboard on a wave of $100 bills which also feature his face, Trump dressed as George Washington, and of course, Trump standing behind a lion made of fire which is mauling the Earth.

Yet another of the cards shows Trump in his classic blue suit with red power tie holding the Liberty Bell in his visibly large hands. It’s also worth noting that Trump has limited comments on all of his recent Instagram posts advertising the NFTs.

How much are the Donald Trump NFTs?

If you’re hoping to get your hands on the new set of Trump trading cards for their original price, unfortunately they’ve already sold out.

Trump magnanimously announced that he had not raised the price into triple figures for the second set, even though he was sure that they would still sell out. Instead he kept the price at $99 per card, and they did indeed sell fast.

On 19 April, Trump announced that the new set of cards has already sold out, having made him $4.6 million richer. If this is true, then a little over 46,000 Trump NFTs were bought in the day since their release.

Amazingly, the Trump cards seem to be a sound investment - with the value of the first set of cards released in December worth more than six times as much this April. Zenger reported that the first set of cards' value was up 477.1% two days after their release and peaked at around 1,000%. This month, a card purchased for $99 in December would be worth $664.37, an increase of 571%.