The "major announcement" hyped by former President Donald Trump and expected to be anything from his VP pick to a return to Twitter turned out to be the launch of a digital trading card line.
"My official Donald Trump Digital Trading Card collection is here!" Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Thursday. "These limited edition cards feature amazing ART of my Life & Career! Collect all of your favorite Trump Digital Trading Cards, very much like a baseball card, but hopefully much more exciting."
Trump said the cards, which cost $99 each, "would make a great Christmas gift."
"Don't Wait," he said. "They will be gone, I believe, very quickly!"
The cards, available for purchase at collecttrumpcards.com, are essentially non-fungible tokens (NFTs) collected digitally on computers or phones. The website encourages Trump enthusiasts to "instantly become part of a new league of collectors" by signing up with an email address and paying with a credit card.
Those who purchase cards will be automatically entered into sweepstakes for "thousands of incredible prizes" and to "meet the one and only #45."
Listed prizes include dinner with Trump in Miami, golfing with Trump and friends, hand-signed memorabilia, and a meet-and-greet cocktail hour with Trump and others at his Mar-A-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.
The news was met online with many laughs.
"Thank God, the digital trading cards are here," tweeted conservative Daily Wire editor and host Ben Shapiro. "It was indeed a MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT."
Fox News contributor Sara Carter, who tweeted Wednesday about whether the announcement had to do with Trump wanting to become the next Speaker of the House or suing former Twitter brass, seemed underwhelmed.
"You can always expect the unexpected with President Trump but this is a Superman level of unexpected," Carter tweeted Thursday. "NFT? WTF!"
California Representative Ted Lieu, a Democrat, tweeted, "Dear MAGA folks: Hope it's clear to you by now that Donald Trump disrespects you and thinks you are suckers."
Speculation initially ramped up Wednesday after Trump posted a video on his Truth Social account with the caption, "AMERICA NEEDS A SUPERHERO! I will be making a MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT tomorrow. Thank you!"
Some wondered whether it was the announcement of a vice presidential running mate due to Trump's recent jump into the 2024 race. Others pondered if it involved any of his legal matters, or whether he made a decision to rejoin Twitter under its new owner, Elon Musk.
The message was mocked by many online, due to an image of Trump that accompanied the post.
It mimicked the Superman pose, with Trump pulling open his shirt and jacket to display a red costume and a "T" logo underneath. The former president is seen standing in front of Trump Tower with lasers shooting out of his eyes.
Update 12/15/22, 12:30 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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