Kai Trump sparks backlash after Erewhon shopping video with Secret Service goes viral

Kai Trump, the granddaughter of US President Donald Trump, is facing criticism online after sharing a YouTube video showing her visiting the upscale Erewhon Market in California while accompanied by Secret Service agents.

The video, posted to her channel on March 8, shows the 18-year-old touring the luxury grocery store in Santa Monica and reviewing several of the items she purchased during the trip.

Originally titled “I Brought My Secret Service to Erewhon,” the video was later renamed “I Tried the World’s Most Expensive Grocery Store.”

Erewhon has built a reputation for its premium products and unusually high prices, with some smoothies selling for about $22 and small packs of Medjool dates priced at around $13.

At one point in the video, Kai Trump jokes that she may have to “file for bankruptcy” after spotting a store-branded sweater costing $165.

Secret Service agents briefly appear in the footage as she leaves the store and gets into a waiting motorcade outside.

Later in the video, filmed in what appears to be a hotel room, she reveals that the total cost of her shopping trip came to $233.

The video quickly spread across social media platforms, where it drew criticism from some viewers who described the moment as tone-deaf.

While American service members die in her grandfather’s war, Kai Trump brags about making her taxpayer-funded Secret Service follow her around while she shops. pic.twitter.com/pr44nb8J2P

— Molly Ploofkins (@Mollyploofkins) March 9, 2026

it genuinely sometimes feels like they are trying to usher in a french revolution https://t.co/XjnlYjA97N pic.twitter.com/iPDKodxo1y

— matt (@mattxiv) March 9, 2026

New video out now on YouTube! https://t.co/r1xKSzz80B pic.twitter.com/a3GgArLFG0

— Kai Trump (@kaitrump) March 8, 2026

Several comments referenced the phrase “let them eat cake,” a line popularly associated with Marie Antoinette and often used to criticise displays of wealth during periods of economic strain.

Mike Nellis, a Democratic strategist, also weighed in on the controversy, calling the clip a “modern ‘let them eat cake’ moment” in a post on X.

https://t.co/wCdqu0hUqy

— Mike Nellis (@MikeNellis) March 9, 2026

The political group The Lincoln Project similarly criticised the video, suggesting that while some Americans may face the prospect of military conflict, members of the Trump family were seen shopping at a luxury grocery store with taxpayer-funded security.

Kai Trump is the daughter of Donald Trump Jr. and his former wife Vanessa Trump. She has developed a significant online presence, with nearly 1.5 million subscribers on YouTube and roughly 2.7 million followers on Instagram.

The criticism surrounding the video comes at a time when economic pressures and rising fuel costs have become a major topic of debate in the United States.

Oil prices climbed by about 7% on March 9, reaching their highest levels since 2022. According to data from AAA, the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in the US is now $3.478, roughly 50 cents higher than a week earlier.

The discussion has also coincided with comments made by President Donald Trump about rising energy costs amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran.

In a March 8 social media post, Trump said temporary increases in oil prices were “a very small price to pay for U.S.A., and World, Safety and Peace,” adding that prices would fall once the Iranian nuclear threat was eliminated.

A February Economist/YouGov poll conducted before the conflict began found that 53% of respondents believed the US economy was worsening, with the president’s net approval rating on economic issues reaching its lowest point across his terms.