US election 2024: Edgy slogan t‑shirts fuel campaign spirit
On 5 November, the world's attention is on the Americans as they choose a new president. Both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump offer election t-shirts to their supporters to show support. These t-shirts cost over £20, with some featuring controversial slogans.
The presidential election in the USA is scheduled for 5 November 2024. Preliminary voting results could become available in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
US election: how much do Trump and Harris t-shirts cost?
According to the Associated Press, 10 million Americans have already cast their votes, with more people queuing at polling stations. Many express their opinions by wearing t-shirts, often emblazoned with the US flag. Both current Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump sell special t-shirts through their official online stores.
The Democratic Party candidate offers 14 models of shirts – available in short and long sleeves or sleeveless, in three colours: black, white, and navy blue. The least expensive, sporting slogans like "Ka-ma-la", "When we fight we will", or "Madam President" cost $32, roughly £26.
The most expensive option is $47 (approximately £38). Purchasing one is considered a donation to the Harris Victory Fund.
Harris also sells shirts featuring photos from her younger years. The collection includes a t-shirt with a photograph of a youthful Douglas Emhoff, Harris's husband.
The Republican Party candidate's online store offers a wider assortment. Trump’s prices are slightly lower than Harris’s—all t-shirts (there are dozens) cost $29.98, about £24.
The graphics and slogans on the shirts in the businessman-politician’s store are noteworthy. One t-shirt depicts Trump in a suit adorned with the American flag, with a lion emerging behind him. Another showcases a photograph of Trump descending a red carpet after leaving an aeroplane.
The former US president has also released a t-shirt featuring a famous photo taken during an assassination attempt on his life on 13 July 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. The slogan reads: "Impeached, arrested, convicted, shot. Still standing."
The assortment also includes shirts with graphics targeting his opponent. On one of them, a letter in the word "communism" has been altered to reference Harris's name.
Who will win the US election? Bookmakers place their bets
Recent polls more frequently give Trump a slight edge over Harris. The surveys are mixed – in the latest poll, the Democratic candidate enjoys the support of 51% of Americans, while the Republican candidate is backed by 47% of voters. Bookmakers favour Trump's victory with higher odds.
Discussions on the economy dominate this year's election campaign. The portal money.pl indicates that Donald Trump enjoys greater trust in this area.
In a recent public opinion poll by the "New York Times" and Siena College, 52% of respondents believed the former president would be a better steward of the economy than Harris, while 45% felt the opposite.
Dissatisfaction mainly arises from inflation. From February 2021 (the first full month of outgoing President Joe Biden's term) to September 2024, consumer prices in the USA rose at an average rate of 4.4% per year. Overall, during this period, prices increased by nearly 16%.
In contrast, during Trump's four-year term (from February 2017 to January 2021), inflation averaged only 1.5%, with overall prices rising by just 6.6%.
However, it is not the causes of price hikes but the consequences that most interest Americans. Under Trump, their incomes rose more quickly than under Biden, despite the latter tenure significantly improving the US labour market.
