‘Trump Too Small’ Trademark Bid Rejected by US Supreme Court (3)

June 13, 2024, 6:04 PM UTC

The US Supreme Court ruled against a man who said he has a First Amendment right to seek federal trademark protection for the mocking phrase “Trump too small.”

The high court said the US government didn’t violate Steve Elster’s constitutional rights when it refused to let him place the phrase on a federal trademark registry. Elster can still use the phrase on T-shirts insulting former President Donald Trump, but the ruling means he won’t get exclusive rights to it.

Although the outcome was unanimous, the justices divided sharply in their legal reasoning. The decision upheld a decades-old legal provision ...

Learn more about Bloomberg Law or Log In to keep reading:

Learn About Bloomberg Law

AI-powered legal analytics, workflow tools and premium legal & business news.

Already a subscriber?

Log in to keep reading or access research tools.