Although dealings between the U.S. and Russia have been chilly since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, a technology company in St. Petersburg, Russia, is trying to capitalize on the potential warming of relations following the election of Donald Trump as president.
The company, RAU IT, has filed a trademark application for a vodka brand named in honor of the president-elect. The company submitted the application last month to Rospatent, Russia's federal service for intellectual property, The Moscow Times, an independent publication, reported.
The product, named "Trumpovka," features a label of the president-elect's silhouette holding an accordion.
RAU IT provided digital solutions and software development for such clients as Russian state-owned energy giants Gazprom and Rosatom, as well as energy conglomerate Lukoil, the country's largest non-state-owned business, according to the Times. But it has no history of being in the beverage business.
The company said it has no immediate plans to release "Trumpovka" but wants to protect the brand name from competitors who might capitalize on Trump's popularity in the Russian market. Online shoppers in Russia reportedly are rushing to buy T-shirts depicting Trump with a backdrop of the Russian flag and double-headed eagle, and the slogan "I am Russian."
The company also said it intends to extend the brand to non-alcoholic products, such as soft drinks.
"We thought that, amid the hype around the U.S. presidential election, some alcohol manufacturers might start producing vodka with a name similar to Donald Trump's," the company said, according to the Times. "To prevent this, we preemptively applied for the 'Trumpovka' trademark, ensuring that the news story wouldn't be exploited by companies aiming to boost alcohol sales through sensational headlines."
Trump does not drink alcohol, but he did start a line of "Trump Vodka" in 2006, according to The Wall Street Journal, which added that Trump predicted a T&T (Trump and Tonic) would become the most requested drink in America. But the brand was discontinued in 2011 and wasn't included in a list of assets Trump submitted with election officials after declaring his candidacy in 2016. Empty bottles of "Trump Vodka" are listed for sale on eBay for as high as $2,000.
The Washington Post reported in September that some Trump advisers have discussed relaunching a Trump vodka line, according to people familiar with the discussions. So far, that has not come to fruition. A person close to Trump told the Post he has no plans to endorse or start a vodka line.
Newsmax reached out to Trump's team for comment.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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