Trump $5 Sharpies Tale During Cabinet Meeting Questioned—Marker Firm Says Claim Never Happened

President Donald Trump's claim that he personally negotiated a $5 (approximately £3.95) deal for customised Sharpie markers has been disputed by the brand's manufacturer, Atlanta-based Newell Brands, which said it had no information about the conversation Trump described. The account was reported by The Washington Post, drawing scrutiny to remarks delivered during an official Cabinet meeting on 26 March.

The anecdote came as an aside during a meeting convened to address the ongoing conflict with Iran, record-long security lines at major US airports, rising oil prices, and skittish stock markets, raising questions about the priorities being signalled in a high-level government setting.

A Cabinet Meeting Detour

Trump interrupted Cabinet discussion of missile strikes and Tehran's uranium enrichment efforts to hold up a custom black-and-gold Sharpie and offer what he called 'a business story.' He told the Cabinet the White House had previously used pens costing $1,000 (approximately £795) each, which he would distribute as keepsakes during bill signings.

'I love the government like I love myself, economically,' Trump said. 'I want to save money.'

He recounted contacting Sharpie and being told the company would produce a custom marker with the White House logo in gold at no charge — an offer he said he declined, insisting instead on paying $5 per marker. 'The head of Sharpie gets a call. I don't even know who the hell he is. He said, "Is this really the president?"' Trump said. Standard Sharpies typically retail for between $1 and $2. Trump concluded: 'For $5, I get a much better pen than for $1,000, and I can hand them out. And, honestly, they've become hot as a pistol, so what can I tell you?'

Manufacturer Pushes Back on 'Never Happened' Claim

Newell Brands, the parent company of Sharpie, issued a statement saying it had no information about the conversation Trump described, while noting that Sharpies are used by current and former US presidents, elected officials, celebrities, athletes, and artists. The Washington Post reported the company's position as the exchange having never taken place.

The company's stock briefly rose while Trump was speaking before declining after the meeting concluded. The episode also marks the most prominent White House attention the brand has received since the 'Sharpiegate' controversy of Trump's first term, when the president used a Sharpie to visibly alter an official National Hurricane Center map during the Hurricane Dorian response in 2019.

Credibility Questions and the Dealmaker Narrative

Trump has long used personal business anecdotes to reinforce his public image as a cost-cutting dealmaker, with such stories forming a recurring thread in his political messaging. The Sharpies episode fits that pattern — but the corporate denial marks an unusual instance in which a specific claim is publicly contradicted by a named party directly involved in the exchange described.

A five-minute digression during a Cabinet session on an active war is not merely casual conversation. It reflects what a leader chooses to communicate to senior officials about his priorities and values, and when such a story is subsequently disputed by the company at its centre, both the accuracy of the account and the context in which it was told come under scrutiny. After concluding, Trump paused to acknowledge his own storytelling before handing the floor to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.