PHOENIX — Donald Trump Jr.’s new book is titled “Triggered: How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us.”
The president’s son has a well-earned reputation for triggering people.
“He stirs people up,” Brenda Priddy of Goodyear said. “It’s not the type of atmosphere that seems appropriate for a Costco.”
Trump Jr. will be signing and selling his new book Monday at a Costco Warehouse in north Scottsdale.
That has some shoppers at the members-only store wondering what Costco is doing, given the company has an explicit policy against politics in stores.
Here’s what’s bugging Priddy and other shoppers: Trump Jr. is one of his father’s most popular spokesmen on the campaign trail. The book signing comes amidst a presidential campaign. The book signing feels like a campaign event, with promotion by the Arizona Republican Party.
“This seems more like a political event than a typical book signing,” said Priddy, who describes herself as a registered independent and the No. 1 Costco fan in Arizona.
“A big Friday night date is doing samples at Costco,” she said. “I even have Costco-logoed pajamas.”
Costco’s website posts a clear policy against politics in stores: “We have found that the majority of our members appreciate the fact that our atmosphere is devoid of politics – so we strive to keep it that way.”
12 News asked Costco why it would host a book signing by a surrogate for President Donald Trump during a presidential campaign. The e-mailed response from a spokeswoman didn’t quite answer the question:
“We understand that each book or author will not be the preference of every member. We monitor sales closely to ensure we have a varied product mix for our members. At Costco, our book space is limited. We exercise discipline with our selection based solely on what our members are buying.”
There’s little doubt people are buying “Triggered”: It’s currently No. 3 on Amazon’s bestseller list.
The Arizona Republican Party’s role in promoting the event has also raised questions on social media.
The party posted an EventBrite invitation that was later taken down.
A GOP spokesman says it was taken down because of “the size of the response and limited capacity” at the store.
The book signing is from 2 to 4 p.m. Monday at the North Scottsdale Costco on Hayden Road near Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard.
