Recent social media discussions surrounding PublicSquare have gained traction as individuals critical of Trump are utilizing the platform to identify businesses to avoid, directly contradicting the site’s original purpose.
Several years prior, Jeff was employed by a California bank that tasked him with exploring the possibility of listing the institution on a website named PublicSquare.
The bank’s leadership strongly supported Donald Trump, making PublicSquare an optimal advertising venue. The site, which describes itself as “the anti-woke online marketplace,” serves as a directory for tens of thousands of businesses across the nation wishing to signal their alignment with MAGA ideologies and opposition to what they term “progressive priorities,” such as women’s reproductive rights and diversity efforts. To be featured, businesses must affirm their commitment to “respect the core values of PublicSquare” and pledge not to “support causes that are in direct conflict with our core values.”
“For an extended period, American consumers and business owners who value family principles and God-given freedoms have been neglected by mainstream enterprises,” the company’s website declares. “It is time to support this community of customers and merchants by offering platforms, products, and services that enhance the lifestyle they cherish.”
The platform also openly states its goal of enabling individuals to use their purchasing power for political and cultural influence. “PublicSquare is dedicated to revitalizing culture through the strength of commerce,” its website notes under the heading “Purpose with every purchase.” “This is not about boycotts; it’s about assisting you in transitioning to something superior.”
From a consumer’s perspective, the PublicSquare website is user-friendly. By entering a ZIP code, it displays nearby businesses that wish to be publicly identified with Trump and his principles. Launched in 2022, the company also has direct ties to Trump, with Donald Trump Jr. serving on its board of directors and as an investor.
Kelly Loeffler, who served as President Trump’s head of the Small Business Administration, was also a board member until her confirmation to her current role in February.
Jeff, who opted for a pseudonym for this article due to concerns about potential targeting by Trump supporters in his area, is unsure if the bank ultimately joined PublicSquare. He departed from that position shortly thereafter and established a communications agency.
Fast forward to February 2025, with Trump reinstated in the White House and causing widespread disruption. His actions are negatively impacting the global economy and weakening the federal government. It is not an exaggeration to state that he is pushing American democracy to its limits.
Jeff, an active Reddit user, observed people in his San Diego community expressing a desire for methods to counter Trump’s detrimental actions. Some advocated for boycotting businesses aligned with MAGA but were unsure how to identify companies supporting Trump’s agenda. Consequently, Jeff, having thoroughly researched PublicSquare during his tenure at the bank, shared information about it.
“MAGA has inadvertently made it simple for us to steer clear of their businesses,” he posted under his Reddit username, Hour-Abbreviations18. “A few years back, they launched a website – publicsq.com — to endorse MAGA businesses. We can utilize that same resource to make well-informed purchasing choices.”
“If a business is featured on the site, it’s not accidental,” he added. “It’s intentional.”
His post garnered several replies, prompting Jeff, out of curiosity, to search Reddit for instances of individuals beyond his local area seeking ways to avoid pro-Trump establishments. He then shared his information about PublicSquare in those discussions as well.
His message gained significant traction, spreading across Reddit threads nationwide among people eager to take any action to oppose Trump. Ironically, individuals began to find a form of empowerment in the very service PublicSquare offers its supporters: the opportunity to align spending with personal values. However, in this scenario, people are using PublicSquare to determine where not to spend their money.
“Is there an updated list for 2025 so we can share it with like-minded, peace-loving individuals?” one Reddit user in Oregon inquired in a February thread titled, “MAGA Businesses in Oregon to BOYCOTT.” Jeff contributed his description of PublicSquare, and his post received 263 “upvotes,” elevating its visibility within the thread.
Jeff replicated his post in another Reddit thread based in Long Beach, California, under the heading, “MAGA Businesses to Avoid.” It was upvoted 65 times.
“Oh my goodness, I just discovered my dog’s veterinarian is listed on there,” one user commented in response.
“THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS LIST,” another user exclaimed.
Jeff’s posts regarding PublicSquare, or variations thereof, have surfaced on Reddit in various cities and towns in Illinois, Colorado, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Maine, North Carolina, and in general Reddit forums. The concept of using PublicSquare for boycotts has also captured attention in local news reports. Last month, a TikTok user with 19,000 followers created a video describing PublicSquare and guiding viewers to its website to identify MAGA-friendly businesses to cease supporting. His video has amassed over 348,000 “likes.”
“PublicSquare is essentially the Green Book, but for conservatives,” stated this TikTok user, known as dapper.delinquent, in his video. “The Green Book was a guide circulated within Black communities, listing stores and businesses that were safe for Black individuals to patronize. PublicSquare serves the same function for conservatives.”
“It is a website where conservatives register their businesses to demonstrate they are anti-woke, pro-conservative, and particularly pro-life,” he elaborated.
Another TikTok user shared a similar sentiment last month, referring to PublicSquare as the “anti-woke business finder” and expressing gratitude for its existence as it helps him identify where not to shop. “It simply signifies that they disregard our rights and align with Trump,” this user asserted in his video. His post received 32,000 “likes” and was shared 11,000 times.
Critics of Trump have also been discussing PublicSquare on other platforms such as Threads and Facebook, where a group named The 50501 Movement mobilizes individuals for Trump-related protests, rallies, and boycotts. The group, boasting 164,000 members, highlighted PublicSquare to its followers last month.
“Useful for determining which small businesses to steer clear of!” read a post within the group.
Some individuals have directly visited PublicSquare’s own Facebook page to inform them that their site has been immensely helpful to people seeking ways to protest Trump’s policies.
“Following the publication of a local article, our community is utilizing PublicSquare to identify which businesses to avoid,” one user commented on a PublicSquare post earlier this month. “It’s as if you’re assisting in the self-removal of undesirable elements.”
“Despicable INSURRECTIONISTS, Fascists, and those who detest anything non-white, male, and straight,” another user posted this month on the company’s Facebook page. “You are identical to the German Christians who revered Hitler.”
The financial repercussions, if any, of these boycotts on the businesses listed on PublicSquare, or on PublicSquare itself, remain unclear. The publicly traded company, helmed by founder, CEO, and president Michael Seifert, has experienced a stock value decline of over 50% since the beginning of the year. Even prior to Trump’s tariff announcements earlier this month, which have negatively affected global economies, PublicSquare’s stock had fallen by 12%.
The company seemingly generates revenue from fees paid by businesses listed on its website, in addition to “a commission per transaction.” Nevertheless, there is no direct method to correlate the company’s financial status with individuals actively using the site to identify businesses to stop patronizing.
A spokesperson for PublicSquare did not reply to inquiries regarding individuals using their website to find businesses to avoid or about the company’s financial difficulties.
“The capacity to make purchasing choices that reflect our values is one action we can take.”
Jeff does not assume he is the sole anti-Trump individual aware of this website prior to this year but expressed astonishment at the number of people who informed him they were previously unaware of it—and their satisfaction in discovering it. While most individuals he interacted with stated their intention to use PublicSquare to ensure they do not financially support Trump-aligned businesses, a few indicated they wished to use the site as intended, to patronize such companies.
“The overwhelming majority of people responded, ‘I had no idea. I can’t believe this or that business is listed. I’m never patronizing them again,’” Jeff recounted. “I’d estimate that 90% of the responses were of that nature.”
He stressed that his efforts to disseminate information about PublicSquare are not aimed at penalizing businesses but at empowering individuals to make informed choices.
“Currently, numerous decisions impacting our lives are being made beyond our control, leaving many feeling powerless,” Jeff remarked. “The ability to make purchasing decisions consistent with our values is one tangible action we can undertake.”
This sentiment strongly resonates with Janet Koenig. The 62-year-old California resident recently encountered one of Jeff’s Reddit posts, prompting her to visit PublicSquare’s website and enter her ZIP code. To her dismay, one of her preferred coffee shops appeared on the list. She was appalled.
“I was utterly shocked,” Koenig stated. “I had simply assumed they were among the ‘good guys.’ I will certainly inform all my friends not to frequent that establishment.”
She now habitually consults PublicSquare before making purchases. She has also been actively sharing a link to its website with as many people as possible, most of whom, like her, were unaware of the company’s existence, and at least some of whom intend to use it to prevent inadvertently funding Trump-aligned businesses. She acknowledged that while her efforts might not have a substantial impact, she feels a renewed sense of agency.
“I just feel compelled to do something. Because businesses now wield influence over our votes, you understand?” Koenig expressed. “I feel that, if they control our votes, I will do everything within my power to support only those that vote in alignment with my preferences. It stems from disgust, frankly. I am disgusted by the manner in which our votes can be swayed by business interests.”
“I find peace at night knowing I’m not unintentionally contributing to the ‘bad guys’,” she concluded.