Kai Trump Trades Golf Clubs for Coffee Cups in Summer Social Experiment

20 June 2025

The Daily Beast/Youtube/Getty

Kai Trump, the 18-year-old granddaughter of former President Donald Trump, stepped into a different kind of spotlight this week, one involving iced lattes rather than golf clubs. In a playful TikTok clip posted around June 19, she donned the signature pink-and-orange palette of Dunkin’ Donuts and manned the drive-thru window at one of the chain’s local branches, surprising followers with an unexpected peek behind the counter.

In the nearly 10-second video, Kai appears focused yet lighthearted as she repeats a customer’s order for a “medium iced coffee” and pushes the drink through the window with a cheerful “perfect, thank you.” She admits needing assistance with the cash register, suggesting that she’s not just playing dress-up for the content but genuinely getting a feel for the fast-paced environment .

This brief stint wasn’t a one-off. Alongside the drive-thru clip, Kai teased a deeper dive into Dunkin’ flavors in an upcoming YouTube segment. She filmed herself blindfolded, sampling five different menu drinks and correctly identifying mango lemonade, guava lemonade, and a berry-infused water. She stumbled over a strawberry drink and one mystery option, wrapping the test with three out of five correct guesses.

Feedback from the public was mixed but spirited. Some praised her as down-to-earth and joked about matching the Dunkin’ logo so well. Comments included, “I would actually die if Kai Trump were to give me my Dunkin’ order,” and “That’s hilarious you’re even matching the logo,” highlighting how the moment struck a chord online. Others viewed it more skeptically, labeling her drive-thru role as a one-off stunt unlikely to reflect a working-class reality and pointing out her six-figure family fortune.

Kai's summer social media strategy echoes a similar move by her grandfather during the 2024 presidential campaign, when he worked a partial shift at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania. That event was widely viewed as symbolic, a populist appeal embedded in performative action. Kai’s Dunkin’ stint mirrors that gesture, and she’s following a path from political family notoriety to influencer entrepreneurship in her own right.

While Kai has cultivated an online presence for years especially centered on golf, lifestyle and family moments, the Dunkin’ content marks a shift toward more experiential, gave-the-audience-a-peek content. Her account, which recently surpassed three million TikTok followers, showcases a growing ambition to bridge her privileged upbringing with authenticity and relatability. Her blind taste test spans half a minute, engaging fans in a friendly, low-stakes challenge that reflects a more accessible side of her persona.

This experiment is particularly strategic as Kai prepares for college and a continued golf career at the University of Miami. With a near seven-figure name, image, and likeness portfolio already shaping her future, content that highlights work ethic, curiosity and candid moments helps soften her image in broader cultural conversation.

The commentary was as varied as the iced beverages she identified. Some fans equated the moment with humility and praised her for stepping into a typical job routine. Others raised concerns about privilege and authenticity, saying paychecks mattered less than optics in what is, ultimately, a content grab. A few even referenced recent security incidents, noting their discomfort that an 18-year-old might be thrust into attention at a public venue .

This TikTok push may only be the beginning. Kai’s playful taste test promo sets up a longer-form YouTube segment, and her content mix might soon include more everyday challenges or behind-the-scenes vlogging, perhaps reflecting broader student life or summer internships. As her following continues to grow, the question becomes: will viewers continue to find authenticity in her casual tests and fast-food experiments?

At its core, this social experiment reminds us how Gen Z influencers navigate perception and privilege online. Kai is not just another social media personality, she’s a brand built on high-profile association, athletic talent, and now, provocative content decisions. Her summer at Dunkin’ blurs the lines between staged publicity and genuine interest.

For now, Kai Trump’s iced coffee drive-thru debut may seem minor in the larger social media sea. But it shows an evolving identity: not just granddaughter of a former president or rising golf star, but a content creator crafting a narrative that blends youth, curiosity, and just enough familiarity to spark conversation.

As summer unfolds, expect more ventures and perhaps more viral stunts as she refines her public evolution. Whether viewers see her as genuine or opportunistic likely depends on what comes next: a deeper dive into everyday life or more stunts designed to go viral. Her next moves could define how lasting her audience’s engagement will be and whether she’s just experimenting or delivering a new formula for influencer authenticity.