CNN sought out the creators of Trump's latest 'Swiss-made' timepieces. Our investigation led us to a retail center in Wyoming.
Suddenly, a sparkle of gold shimmers around his wrist. This visual effect is meant to draw attention to the reason for the former president's appearance in the brief promotional video: He's endorsing timepieces.
And these aren't your average watches. These limited edition models are "designed for the President" and carry the Trump name. A site brags about the brand's "Swiss-made quality and precision," and one model is even priced in the six-figure range.
However, a CNN investigation into the manufacturing and distribution of these Trump-branded watches hit a dead end at an unassuming shopping center in a small town in northern Wyoming, close to the Montana border.
Here, a diverse mix of businesses, including an H&R Block, a Wendy's, and a "vape and hemp smoke shop," share a parking lot with a nondescript office space. This serves as the mailing address for TheBestWatchesOnEarth LLC, the company behind the new line of Trump watches. The building houses a daycare, but there's no sign of these exclusive timepieces, as Trump claimed, "put you in a very exclusive club."
Information about the company partnering with the Republican nominee for president is scarce. There's little public information available about TheBestWatchesOnEarth LLC, and like other ventures Trump has launched during his presidential run, these watches result from an opaque arrangement that the campaign hasn't addressed or could be resolved through a visit to the listed address.
CNN discovered numerous other businesses also claiming this address, including a separate LLC selling Trump-themed sneakers under a licensing agreement with the former president. These companies range from a Washington, DC lobbying firm representing Montenegro's government to others difficult to trace.
Another company linked to this address shares a name with TheBestWatchesOnEarth LLC. It's registered to the same address as Kingdom Honey LLC, which sells its products on its online retail store, The Royal Honey Shop. There, they offer "Male Enhancement Honey" products, some of which the Food and Drug Administration has warned against due to containing the erectile dysfunction drug used in Viagra.
The FDA warned that these supposedly "natural" nectars could interact adversely with other prescriptions or pose significant health risks to persons with diabetes and heart conditions. Moreover, in 2022, the FDA announced, "there is no medical proof that consuming this type of honey with herbs will provide any sexual enhancement or other claimed benefits."
CNN failed to find evidence of a direct link between the honey company and Trump. Emailed for comment, a representative for the honey seller, Vladimir Dmitriev, described the company as "highly reputable," but refused to answer a list of questions, even if Trump was not mentioned in them. Dmitriev told CNN, "We've received directions from our leadership in the US not to engage with any news agencies (specifically CNN) until after November 5th," which is Election Day.
In a follow-up email, the company declined to provide any information or details about its business ties to Trump.
All these corporations share the same "organizer," Andrew Pierce, whose company acts as the registered agent and provides more information about the business Trump is promoting during the final weeks of his third White House bid.
A representative from Pierce's office in Sheridan, Wyoming, informed CNN that Pierce spends most of his time at the company's headquarters in Puerto Rico. Pierce's chief marketing officer confirmed this in an email and stated that they have formed over 100,000 businesses worldwide and have no direct involvement in their operations.
"To be absolutely clear," she wrote, "registered agents do not bear any responsibility for the actions of their clients and we will not respond to any further communication via email or phone about these companies."
Pierce's father and business partner, attorney Mark Pierce, admitted in a telephone interview that he was unaware that two of their clients were in business with the former president until contacted by CNN. While he defended the rights of his clients, including the makers of Trump watches and sneakers, to keep their details private, he advised caution for those planning to purchase a product from him.
"Before spending $100,000 on a watch, they should know who they're buying it from," he said.
Neither Trump's campaign nor the Trump Organization responded to a detailed list of questions from CNN about his partnership with TheBestWatchesOnEarth, including who is behind the company, how the deal came about, and whether he vetted the people behind his new business venture.
Attempts to reach TheBestWatchesOnEarth through their website generated an automatic reply: "Please note that we may have received a large number of requests and may take additional time to provide you with a response."
Since departing the White House and pursuing a political resurgence, Trump has signed a multitude of licensing agreements, a unprecedented utilization of a presidential nominee's name, visual representation, and likeness, as well as their time, while aiming for the nation's top office. These deals have reportedly earned him millions, according to records provided by his campaign in the summer. A significant portion of these agreements can be traced back to Wyoming, a state that grants businesses anonymity through registered agents.
For instance, last year, Trump made $7.2 million through a licensing deal with NFT International, LLC, a company that specializes in Trump-themed non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and is based in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
At a gathering of sneaker enthusiasts in Philadelphia this year, Trump introduced another licensing deal, this time with 45footwear LLC, a corporation registered by Pierce in Wyoming. Attempts to contact 45footwear through their website's email were unsuccessful.
Trump frequently promotes these products on his social media accounts, where he shares political messages with his followers. This was evident last month when Trump, on Truth Social 40 days before the election, promoted a new line of watches. These watches retail for $499, with the Tourbillon series priced at $100,000. They are available in three colors and are limited to 147 pieces.
In certain niche luxury watch communities, Trump's foray into watches is already a source of amusement. The initial deliveries are scheduled for October, according to the company, but promotional photos and videos have already circulated widely online. Oisín O’Malley, a popular watch reviewer, called the $800 option "cheap stuff" and deemed the pricier model "basic" for its cost, while suggesting it "looks like it was designed on a computer."
In his review on his YouTube channel, Tim Mosso, a specialist in the online luxury watch marketplace 1916 Project, found it "a little bit ominous" that the $100,000 model is not water-resistant and questioned why the website fails to provide basic information like the product's size. He speculated that only a handful of the most expensive models will be produced.
"It's definitely an acquired taste," Mosso told his 160,000 subscribers.
The Trump Watches website includes disclaimers, stating that the products were not designed, manufactured, distributed, or sold by Donald J. Trump, The Trump Organization, or any of their affiliates or principals. It also clarifies that sales of the watches will not benefit Trump's political campaign. The online store for Trump Sneakers carries similar language.
The watch website's promotional images and videos depict the watches as they may appear, but the customer may not receive the exact same product.
Few details are publicly available about the watch company collaborating with the former - and potentially future - President of the United States. According to business filings, TheBestWatchesOnEarth was registered by Pierce in Wyoming just two months before Trump introduced the line on social media.
Pierce's companies, such as Wyoming LLC Attorney and Cloud Peak Law, claim to help clients keep certain information confidential.
"We specialize in creating anonymous LLCs to protect your personal information from public eyes," the Wyoming LLC Attorney website states.
Wyoming LLC Attorney can establish a new LLC within 24 hours, according to their website. They also include a disclaimer stating that, despite the name, they are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice.
The two companies share a building. One entrance bears no sign, but on a recent visit, it was adorned with a decorative orange skeleton. An office manager explained that the company rents out space to a daycare operator and a county-run social services program.
Documents from the Wyoming Secretary of State list the small office building in the shopping center as the "principal business address" for numerous companies, including those affiliated with Trump, although they lack any apparent physical presence there.
One Wyoming resident unsuccessfully sued Pierce in 2022 over allegedly flawed gold pieces sold by a corporation Pierce registered in the state. Pierce's lawyer wrote in a court filing that his client resided in Puerto Rico and "has no significant ties to the state of Wyoming." The case was dismissed.
But the customer was later awarded a default judgment against the company that sold him the jewelry, court records indicate. The customer claimed in a court filing that he had repeatedly called the seller and was "left on the phone," while the seller's address "could not be reasonably ascertained." The seller failed to attend the hearing, resulting in the judgment in the customer's favor.
Mark Pierce characterized the registered agent's role in Wyoming as minimal. He stated that Wyoming Secretary of State or other authorities can request additional records and information they maintain about the businesses they register, but added that this request is rare.
Pierce advised that people should be "more cautious" towards products involving the Trump brand, and made it clear that he has a negative opinion of the former president. In Pierce's own words, if Trump or any of his family were on the same side of the road, Pierce would purposely cross to the other side.
The political implications of Trump's endorsement of these luxury watches are being discussed in various political circles. Critics argue that these transactions create potential conflicts of interest, especially given Trump's current political aspirations.
Moreover, the lack of transparency surrounding the manufacturing and distribution of these Trump-branded watches raises questions about ethical business practices. Such secrecy is not uncommon in deals Trump has made during his presidential run, often resulting in opaque arrangements that the campaign has not addressed.
