A liquor distillery in the Kaluga region is seeking to sell Trump-branded premium vodka and gin as part of a legal challenge to the trademark’s protection in Russia’s intellectual property court.
Kristall Distillery has petitioned to terminate the trademark rights of DTTM Operations, the entity that manages the trademarks of U.S. President Donald Trump, according to the business newspaper Kommersant.
DTTM Operations has held the Trump trademark in Russia since 2017. Kristall argues the brand has gone unused in the country for years.
In December, the distillery applied to register the trademark itself while also expressing interest in a licensing agreement with DTTM Operations.
“Such a high-profile brand should not go to waste,” Kristall owner Pavel Pobedkin said.
Trump Vodka was first launched in 2005 but discontinued in 2011 after poor sales. The brand was revived late last year by the president’s son, Eric Trump, and now sells for about $48 a bottle in the United States.
Industry analysts told Kommersant they doubt the product would find strong demand in Russia, suggesting Kristall’s legal challenge may be aimed as much at generating publicity as at reviving the Trump brand.
Kristall produces around 65 million bottles of spirits annually and ranks among the country’s 30 largest alcohol producers. The company said its revenue rose 20% in 2025 to 4.76 billion rubles ($60 million).
The distillery has previously moved to claim other dormant trademarks in Russia, including “Gatsby” and “Pirates of the Caribbean.”
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