Is Trump Tricking People Into an L.L. Bean Boycott?

Once again, Donald Trump’s Twitter account has stirred up trouble. This time, the victim is clothier LL Bean, which is now the target of a boycott. But is this what Trump wanted?

Twitter Drama

Our story begins with a tweet.

Thank you to Linda Bean of L.L.Bean for your great support and courage. People will support you even more now. Buy L.L.Bean. @LBPerfectMaine

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2017

Linda Bean, whom Trump thanks in the tweet, is a member of the family that owns L.L. Bean. She’s also a staunch Republican who donated $60,000 (well over legal limits) to Donald Trump’s campaign. Presumably, Trump’s tweet was intended to thank her for this donation and to drum up some business for her lobster vacation business (which is apparently a thing in Maine).

The Response

As usual, Trump’s tweet inspired fury and outrage. People were horrified at the president-elect using his political power to peddle consumer goods. Liberals had already been boycotting L.L. Bean because of Linda Bean’s political activity. Trump’s tweet made things even worse for the company.

.@LLBean Goodbye L.L.Bean. I've been a fan and customer since the days when everything you made was made in the USA. #GrabYourWallet

— Deep Thought (@BestRevenge1) January 13, 2017

.@LBPerfectMaine Thanks to @realDonaldTrump for letting me know that I need to return my Xmas gifts from @LLBean.#GrabYourWallet #NoH8 https://t.co/eoxpzLOUR0

— Melanie Thompson (@drmt) January 13, 2017

The Bean Family’s Response

L.L. Bean responded to the boycott with a post on Facebook. The post noted that Linda Bean is just one member of the very large Bean family, and that the company overall has no political affiliation: Meanwhile, Linda Bean went on the Fox Business Network to complain about the boycott. “It’s bullying,” she said. “It’s un-American.”

Stupid Like a Fox?

Then comedian Andy Richter weighed in with his own take. According to Richter, Trump’s original tweet was actually a clever ploy to encourage people to boycott L.L. Bean on purpose in order to hurt Maine’s economy.

She has nothing to do w day-to-day @LLBean which is fairly apolitical brand that does much local good. They've publicly repudiated her. 2/5 pic.twitter.com/uetc1CVdGN

— Andy Richter (@AndyRichter) January 12, 2017

He knows damn well tweeting "buy LLBean" will spark a wholly undeserved boycott, while promoting Linda's biz to like-minded Trumpsters 4/5 pic.twitter.com/Zg13Q9SVCt

— Andy Richter (@AndyRichter) January 12, 2017

Some missing point. TRUMP WANTS YOU TO BOYCOTT @LLBean! Don't. They publicly rejected his donor. He wants to hurt them on her behalf. Oy.

— Andy Richter (@AndyRichter) January 12, 2017

Is this true? Is Trump’s tweet some kind of brilliant ploy to punish a company he dislikes? Or is he just following whatever impulses his lizard brain sends him, as always? We don’t know. But there’s one thing we do know: it’s going to be a long four years.