A pro-Trump merchandise store in suburban Chicago has temporarily closed after its owner reported a sharp drop in sales during the war in Iran. She linked this decline to customer discomfort with the conflict, given the political climate surrounding support for President Donald Trump.
The Trump and Truth Store in Crystal Lake shut its doors just a few months after opening at its new location. Owner Lisa Fleischmann told the Chicago Tribune that business slowed significantly after Trump announced military action on February 28. “Sales were really slow. It all started with the war. It was dead as a door nail the minute that happened,” she said, according to the Tribune report.
Fleischmann believes some customers no longer feel comfortable buying or wearing Trump-branded items because they don’t know how to explain or defend the war if they face questions in public. She mentioned that people are “unsure what’s going on” and worry that wearing the merchandise could attract unwanted attention.
The store sold pro-Trump clothing and novelty items, including shirts featuring slogans like “God Guns and Trump 2024,” “ICE ICE BABY,” and “Department of DOGE,” according to reports about the store and its goods. Fleischmann posted on Facebook in late March that the business was “closed until further notice” and mentioned she was not making even half the rent.
A Trump merch store has closed after a dip in enthusiasm among his supporters led to low sales:
“Sales were really slow. It all started with the war. It was dead as a door nail the minute that happened.” pic.twitter.com/cncaVADab5
— Headquarters (@HQNewsNow) April 7, 2026
This closure followed a difficult period for the business. The store previously operated in Huntley before relocating to 829 S. Virginia Road in Crystal Lake due to an eviction dispute.
Fleischmann and some supporters claimed that politics were behind the earlier conflict. In contrast, Huntley officials and the landlord’s attorney said the issue was related to local sign regulations. The new location opened around the holidays and fully resumed operations in January, but Fleischmann noted that many shoppers still did not realize it was open.
Her report of declining sales comes as public sentiment has shifted against the Iran war. An AP-NORC poll conducted from March 19 to 23 found that 59% of Americans felt U.S. military action in Iran had gone too far. The same survey indicated that 45% were very concerned about affording gasoline in the coming months.
Trump claims he hasn’t even thought about seeking a third term, but something about that “Trump 2028” merch in his office is making Jon think otherwise pic.twitter.com/crglpYNUlc
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) October 28, 2025
A separate Ipsos poll conducted from March 27 to 29 showed that 66% of Americans wanted the U.S. to quickly end its involvement in the conflict, even if it meant not achieving all its goals. This survey also found that 56% expected the war to negatively impact their personal finances, and 66% anticipated that gas prices would worsen over the next year due to the conflict.
These figures help clarify why a niche political retail business might face challenges. Stores centered around presidential branding often rely on strong enthusiasm from supporters, and Fleischmann said that enthusiasm waned once the war started.
Nonetheless, she told the Tribune she believes this downturn will pass and that demand could rebound as the government focuses on next year’s 250th anniversary of the United States.
For now, the Crystal Lake shop stands as a small but visible indication of how a foreign policy conflict can affect local businesses that thrive on partisan loyalty. According to Fleischmann, the war didn’t just shift the political mood; it also changed whether customers felt inclined to enter her store at all.
