Donald Trump’s fans love his bobbleheads, but most are made in tariff-targeted China
- The collectible dolls, which originated in China centuries ago, will cost much more if Trump is elected and makes good on his threat of additional import duties
Just 10 days after former US president Donald Trump narrowly dodged an attempted assassination, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum announced two new Trump bobblehead dolls, citing requests from his fans and collectors.
One shows the Republican presidential candidate with a bloodied ear and a defiant raised fist, capturing the drama of the July 13 attack at a rally in Pennsylvania. The other bobblehead has him sporting a white bandage on his ear, which was nicked by a bullet.
Phil Sklar, co-founder and CEO of the world’s only bobblehead museum, which opened in 2014 in Milwaukee, reported a “flood of requests” for these figures, describing them as “images that are sure to be among the most iconic moments in history”.
Sklar said that since Trump hit the political scene in 2015, he has “consistently outsold” every other politician when it comes to bobbleheads, racking up more of the collectibles “than any other president or presidential candidate by a long shot”.
Given that bobbleheads are mass-produced items, it’s no surprise that they are manufactured in China, and while the “made in China” label is sometimes stigmatised in US political discourse, it usually isn’t enough to drive consumers away.
“At this time, all bobbleheads are manufactured in China,” Sklar said. His museum works with several different factories in Xiamen, China. “The production has always been more economical in China for at least the past 30, 40 years,” he added.
