Fans of Donald Trump are employing an unusual method to voice their support for the president-elect while also protesting Starbucks for what’s being called “anti-white discrimination.”
The protesters are spending money at Starbucks.
According to CNN, in a movement known as #TrumpCup, supporters of the president-elect are ordering their Starbucks drinks under Trump’s name so the baristas have to both write Trump on the cup and holler out his name when the drink is done, as is the coffee giant’s regular practice.
The #TrumpCup movement gained steam recently after a video of a Trump supporter angrily yelling at a Starbucks barista went viral. Although the video shows the man calling the barista “trash” and “garbage” as he demands his money back for a drink that he was apparently waiting for, the pro-Trump Starbucks customer tells a different story. According to CNN:
The man in the video told the Miami Herald that he was racially discriminated against and that the barista wouldn’t serve him because she knew he was a Trump supporter.
Trump supporters who participate in the #TrumpCup movement are urged to take video if Starbucks’ workers refuse to write “Trump” on their cups or yell the president-elect’s name.
Tim Treadstone, a social media strategist and political consultant who lives in Los Angeles, has been credited for creating #TrumpCup. Treadstone tells The Washington Post it’s a First Amendment exercise:
“We have a culture war to win. I’m a Trump supporter. I thought when Trump won, I might just wake up and America would be great again. Guess what, it wasn’t. We have a lot of work to do. We have hearts and minds to win. Obviously, a lot of people aren’t happy with us, and we need to stand up for our freedom and our First Amendment.”
In a statement, Starbucks says writing customers’ names on cups is a fun tradition, not a requirement for its baristas.
“Rarely has it been abused or taken advantage of. We hope and trust that our customers will continue to honor that tradition.”
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