Donald Trump spent $450,000 on red 'Make America Great Again' hats - made by Latinos
The workforce of the company that made them is made up largely of immigrants from Latin America
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Donald Trump may admit to being a little nervous on the morning of his first test before an electorate.
Yet he may take some satisfaction with the thousands of red 'Make America Great Again' hats he had been handing out to supporters - at a cost of$450,000, and most of them made by a company that is overwhelmingly Latino.
Among the details in the end of year filings made by the the presidential candidates from both parties, is the revelation that Mr Trump’s campaign spent $326,699.85 during the final quarter of 2015 with one just company to buy hats.
The Politico website said Mr Trump spent a total of $450,000, or around seven per cent of his total fourth-quarter spending, went on hats.
The filings also reveal that Jeb Bush paid $660,000 on payroll taxes for his large campaign organisation.
Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton spent $7m on staffing in the last three months of 2015, and paid $3.7m on payroll taxes. Senator Bernie Sanders spent nearly $3m on campaign paraphernalia.
The Los Angeles Times said that the company that made most of the hats,
Carson-based Cali-Fame headwear company, is staffed largely by immigrants from Latin America.
Brian Kennedy, the company’s president, said that when the order asked his business to make the hats, he addressed his workers.
“I said to them, ‘We’re not political. We’re here to work’,” said Mr Kennedy “And I haven’t gotten any negative comments.”
Mr Trump told ABC that he was a little nervous heading into tonight’s Iowa caucuses.
“You have to be a little bit nervous but you have to want to win,” he said.
“I just hope everybody is going to be able to get out and vote.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments