Rolex dragged into US political feud after Trump meeting

Swiss luxury watch juggernaut Rolex has faced criticism for hosting President Donald Trump at the US Open, with political opponents suggesting that the company is attempting to ‘sidestep’ tariffs.

President Trump announced in August that a 39 per cent levy would be placed on Switzerland’s exports, a higher rate than those faced by the European Union and the United Kingdom. The US President has since been spotted at the Rolex midcourt box during the US Open’s men’s singles championships.

Massachusetts Democrat Senator Elizabeth Warren has since written to Rolex CEO Jean-Frederic Dufour, questioning if the company was attempting to 'curry favour' and drawing comparisons to companies such as Apple and Nvidia that have faced similar accusations. 

“This invite raises questions about whether you are cultivating a relationship with President Trump in attempts to secure lucrative tariff exemptions for Rolex products,” Warren wrote.

“Given the President’s record of doling out special treatment to CEOs who are able to woo him with flattery, payoffs, or both, the timing of his attendance at the match in the Rolex box is concerning.

"This invite raises questions about whether you are cultivating a relationship with President Trump in attempts to secure lucrative tariff exemptions for Rolex products."
Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Democrat Senator

“I have questions about whether you are attempting to curry favour with the President in an effort to secure special-interest exemptions for Rolex products.”

As reported by CNBC, White House spokesperson Kush Desai dismissed Warren’s letter as an ‘asinine conspiracy theory’ when approached for comment.

According to The Guardian, Dufour has issued a response to Warren’s letter, denying that the occasion prompted any substantial discussion about the tariffs.

“President Trump, never one to miss a rhetorical opportunity, did ask in jest whether he would have been invited had it not been for the tariffs – a moment that brought a round of laughter all around and, as you can imagine, a swift return of attention to the unfolding excitement on court,” Dufour reportedly wrote.

“Rolex is not, nor has it ever been, engaged in any negotiation with the US government regarding tariffs.”

Responses to the tariffs have been mixed among the Swiss watch industry, as the Swatch Group recently released a special edition timepiece that poked fun at the ongoing trade controversy.