The Real Reason Trump Steaks Burned To The Ground

From Atlantic City's Trump Taj Mahal to Trump Magazine and various products and services in between, Donald Trump's unsuccessful business ventures have piled up well before he first became U.S. president in 2016. But few perhaps stand out more than Trump Steaks, aka the real estate mogul's foray into the beef world that lost steam mere months after its launch in mid-2007. The meaty enterprise still comes up in political discourse as a prime example of Trump's business failures, with poor sales cited as the main reason for it going up in flames. But similar to how the President's no tax on tips law has hidden downsides, this Trump initiative — and its ultimate failure — was a bit more complicated than it seemed.

For some background, the Trump Steaks trademark was registered in August 2006, but the products didn't hit the market until the following year. Debuting with the tagline, "The World's Greatest Steaks," Trump Steaks were sold exclusively at The Sharper Image (though they were reportedly the same steaks available at Trump's golf clubs). At one point, Trump "Steakburgers" were also sold through QVC, though it's unclear if other Trump-branded cuts hit the shopping network as well. Either way, the meat vanished just two months later, short of what some sources say was supposed to be a three-month trial period. In a 2016 interview with Think Progress, Sharper Image CEO Jerry Levin said, "We literally sold almost no steaks ... if we sold $50,000 of steaks grand total, I'd be surprised."

If you were hoping to just buy a single Trump Steak in 2007, you'd be out of luck. Instead, you could expect to spend anywhere between $199 for the lowest-tier "Classic Collection" and a whopping $999 for the highest tier "Connoisseur Collection." If that sounds pricey, consider again that this was in 2007 — beef prices hit an all-time high in 2025, which may skew modern perceptions of just how steep the retail prices of Trump Steaks really were. As per the Bureau of Labor Statistics Inflation Calculator, those same steak collections would start at $311.30 and go up to $1,562.77 in 2026.

Of course, price was likely not the only deterrent for sales. In a TV ad from the time, Trump himself declared, "Trump Steaks are by far the best tasting, most flavorful beef you've ever had. Truly in a league of their own." Some reviews, however, disagreed. Noting that the steaks were simply meat licensed through Sysco (the same company stocking Trump's golf club menus), Gourmet Magazine called the concept of selling steaks through The Sharper Image "stupid" and called the steaks "edible, but not particularly good."

The reviews weren't all bad, though. In a blind taste test, The New York Post rated Trump Steaks a decent 7.5 out of 10, preferring them over a couple of other New York City steak brands. Even so, the publication noted that Trump's beef was not worth its extremely high price point.

Another factor in Trump Steaks' downfall that can't be ignored was the choice of retailer. Now, a good steak can be a hard sell as it is due to the cost — some major steak chains are finally making a comeback from the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to some very shrewd financial decisions. But they also all had loyal followings in years past and, importantly, are built around the sit-down steakhouse model rather than selling steaks in stores as premium brands. Trump Steaks only came flash frozen and shrink wrapped, and their retailer, The Sharper Image was then best known for selling various gadgets and lifestyle tech. Though The Sharper Image is technically still around in 2026 as a brand, its stores all closed by the end of 2008.

Trump's preferences may also just differ from others looking to buy premium steak. As The Washington Post reported in 2017, Trump enjoys his steaks cooked well-done and served with ketchup; aka what most chefs consider to be compromising steak quality, flavor, and texture. Either way, despite various claims over the years by Trump and representatives from the Trump Organization suggesting the steaks are still around and doing well, legal records show that the Trump Steaks trademark was canceled in December 2014.