‘Bikers for Trump’ founder says he sells Trump shirts made in Haiti because American-made products are too expensive

The founder of “Bikers for Trump” said he sells pro-Trump T-shirts made in Haiti because American-made products are too expensive.

“If I get a T-shirt made in the USA, it’s going to cost about $8 more,” Chris Cox told The New York Times. “I looked far and wide to try to get a shirt made in America, it’s just they get you, they gouge you.”

The comment came as part of the Times’s wider look at the reactions of pro-Trump motorcyclists to President Trump’s feud with Harley-Davidson.

According to the Times, many bikers say they will turn against the company once it moves forward with its decision to move some production overseas, placing their loyalty to the brand second to their loyalty to Trump.

{mosads}

Harley-Davidson said it would manufacture some of its motorcycles bound for the international market to factories overseas, citing rising costs from stiff tariffs on its motorcycles. The tariffs came in response to Trump’s announcement that he would impose steep tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum earlier this year, including longtime U.S. trade allies like the European Union.

Cox’s comments come amid Trump’s push for more products to be made in the U.S.

Cox, the Times reported, is one of the motorcyclists organizing other bikers to boycott Harley-Davidson for moving production overseas, despite selling foreign-made products himself. He is leading efforts to push the company to give generous severance to employees who may lose their jobs as a result of the changes.

The remarks also follow reports that the White House has used Chinese-made silverware, and that many campaign materials for the president’s 2020 bid are being manufactured elsewhere. 

The White House denied a report that “Keep America Great” flags for Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign were being produced in China, despite photos from inside the factory.

Trump pushed Harley-Davidson to keep its production “100% in America,” but also criticized the company and warned it would take a “big hit” for the move and cited his base’s support for the company.

“I guarantee you everybody that ever bought a Harley-Davidson voted for Trump,” he said at the time. “I don’t know if you know that. I would have to — they call them bikers for Trump. There’s hundreds.”