‘Patriotic marketplace’ PublicSquare jumps 270% after Trump son joins board
On Tuesday, December 3, quotes on PSQ Holdings, the parent company of an online marketplace that brands itself as “anti-woke” and family oriented, surged 270% following the announcement that Donald Trump Jr. had joined the company’s board of directors.
Details
On Tuesday, PSQ Holdings (PublicSquare) stock spiked 270% on the New York Stock Exchange to $7.63 per share — its highest mark since October 2023. Shares traded, meanwhile, were 886 times the average trading volume.
Earlier in the day, the company announced that Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, had joined its board of directors. Another addition to the board was Willie Langston, a partner with Corient, a wealth management firm.
The new board members are also company shareholders. Trump Jr. invested in PSQ Holdings before its IPO in 2023, while Langston participated in a private placement in October 2024.
“Having been involved from the earliest days of the company, I am thrilled to join the PublicSquare board of directors… The American people have affirmed the importance of liberty, and PublicSquare is at the forefront of this movement,” Trump Jr. was quoted as saying in the company’s press release.
About PublicSquare
PublicSquare was founded in 2021 by Michael Seifert. Initially, it was an online directory that connected patriotic consumers with like-minded businesses. The company is said to have been built on five core values: family, freedom, a strong nation, support for small businesses, and a commitment to the Constitution. Seifert contrasts these with “woke” values, which, as he said in an interview with Breitbart News, include support for abortion and the “corporate push” for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.
The local directory quickly evolved into a national marketplace, which, according to Seifert, aims to become “the new Amazon.” Over time, the business expanded into new areas. Today, PSQ Holdings consists of three key divisions: the PublicSquare marketplace, a payments system, and a premium diaper and baby wipe brand EveryLife. However, expansion required investment. One of the company’s earliest investors was Trump Jr., who has signed a lock-up agreement not to sell shares until the second half of 2025.
PSQ Holdings partners with other conservative figures, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a nephew of John F. Kennedy and Trump’s nominee for health secretary.
Context
PSQ Holdings is not the only company that has seen its stock jump because of news around Trump Jr. On November 27, shares of drone parts manufacturer Unusual Machines doubled following the announcement that the president-elect’s son had joined its advisory board.
