White House restricts Meena Harris from using Kamala Harris’ name to build personal brand

Kamala Harris’ niece Meena Harris who wears many hats — as a lawyer, entrepreneur, and social media influencer — grabbed the limelight when her aunt was named as the US Vice-Presidential nominee. With her aunt now in the White House, Meena Harris may no longer be able to use her Kamala Harris’s name to promote her personal brand.

According to a report in Los Angeles Times, Meena Harris has been cautioned by a White House legal team not to “build her brand” by using the name of the US Vice President.

“Some things can’t be undone,” the White House official was quoted as saying by LA Times. “That being said: Behaviour needs to change,” the White House official added.

Meena Harris, who is a Harvard-trained lawyer, started a company four years ago that sells socially conscious T-shirts and sweatshirts. The report added that over the years, Meena Harris used the publicity to promote her brand, which it said capitalised on Kamala Harris’ name, likeness, life history and political slogans to produce clothing, videos, children’s books and headphones.

White House fears that the personal branding endeavors will bring the vice president unwanted scrutiny. And so, Meena Harris has now been asked not to use her aunt’s name and likeness to build her brand.

According to a White House official, soon after Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won the election, the transition team’s ethics lawyers had told Meena Harris that she could no longer produce clothing or write new books with her aunt’s name or likeness.

The White House official added that the book, along with “Vice President Aunty” sweatshirts, Kamala Harris-themed swimsuits and other products, were not allowed under the current rules.

Lately, Meenakshi Ashley Harris, popularly known as Meena Harris, has been aggressively tweeting on farmers’ protest against the three farm laws passed India’s Parliament. She is one among the few international figures to have strongly come out in support of the ongoing farmers’ protest, condemning the violence on Republic Day.

Asked to stay out of India’s ‘internal matter’, Meena declared that backlash won’t intimidate or silence her.