Shopify removes Trump stores from platform after Capitol chaos

TrumpStore.com and Shop.DonaldJTrump.com displayed error messages on Thursday.

MAGA wear
Stores that sold Trump merchandise like his 'Make America Great Again' hats has been removed from the Shopify platform [File: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters]

Canada’s Shopify Inc took down stores affiliated with United States President Donald Trump from its e-commerce platform on Thursday, a day after hundreds of his supporters stormed the US Capitol.

Trump, who has refused to concede his loss to Democratic President-elect Joe Biden, had urged his supporters to come to Washington for a rally on Wednesday.

Shopify said the recent events determined that Trump’s actions violated its policy, which prohibits promotion or support of organisations, platforms or people that threaten or condone violence to further a cause.

Attempts to access TrumpStore.com and Shop.DonaldJTrump.com, which sold “Make America Great Again” hats and similar items, were unsuccessful on Thursday, as the websites displayed error messages.

Shopify’s move comes as Facebook blocked Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts indefinitely on Thursday and social media platforms Twitter Inc and Snap Inc temporarily locked Trump’s accounts on their platforms following Wednesday’s violence.

Source: Reuters