Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/23pdf/22-704_4246.pdf
Page Number: 53.0

Cite as:  602 U. S. ____ (2024) 

11 

SOTOMAYOR, J., concurring in judgment 

punished.  The owners of such marks are merely denied cer-
tain additional benefits associated with federal trademark 
registration”). 

B 
Now consider the facts of this case.  Respondent Steve El-
ster  wants  to  sell  shirts  with  the  phrase  TRUMP  TOO 
SMALL on them.  He also wants increased trademark pro-
tection by federally registering the phrase.  In the registra-
tion  request,  Elster  explained  that  the  phrase  “invokes  a 
memorable exchange between President Trump and Sena-
tor Marco Rubio from a 2016 presidential primary debate, 
and  aims  to  ‘convey[ ]  that  some  features  of  President 
Trump  and  his  policies  are  diminutive.’ ”  In re  Elster,  26 
F. 4th 1328, 1330 (CA Fed. 2022) (alteration in original). 

When the U. S. Patent and Trademark Office rejected the
registration request, it denied Elster the opportunity to se-
cure  the  Government-bestowed  benefits  associated  with 
registration.  Critically,  the  denial  did  not  prevent  Elster
from communicating his message.  It also did not restrict 
his preferred mode of expression.  Elster can still sell shirts 
displaying the same message.  Elster could also use a dif-
ferent  phrase  (such  as  ELSTER  APPAREL)  as  a  source
identifier to obtain the desired benefits of registration while 
continuing to sell shirts with his preferred message across
the  front.  See  Tr.  of  Oral  Arg.  23–24  (discussing  “Elster 
Apparel” example).  Put simply, the denial only barred El-
ster from registering a mark asserting exclusive rights in
another person’s name without their written consent. 

III 
A 
Because  trademark  registration  criteria  limit  statutory
benefits  in  a  necessarily  content-based  scheme,  the  First 
Amendment  requires  the  criteria  to  be  viewpoint  neutral 
and reasonable.  Supra, at 5–9; Brunetti, 588 U. S., at 424