US Tear Gas Manufacturer Sees Government Orders Surge After Trump Takes Office...160 Billion Won Revenue Over 3 Years

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Safariland, a US tear gas manufacturer, has reportedly earned over 160 billion KRW in revenue as orders for tear gas from the US government have significantly increased over the past three years since the Donald Trump administration took office. The rise in tear gas orders is attributed to the increase and intensification of protests, including ongoing racial discrimination demonstrations, compared to the era of the Barack Obama administration.

According to CBS News on the 8th (local time), Safariland, a US manufacturer of tear gas and protective gear, has generated sales of $137 million (approximately 164.4 billion KRW) from tear gas orders placed by the US government during the three and a half years of the Trump administration. Safariland sells tear gas, helmets, bulletproof vests, rubber bullets, and other protective equipment to federal agencies, police departments, and overseas institutions, recording annual sales of about $500 million. CBS reported that government sales revenue during the Obama administration was $83 million.

While US military and police forces have been using large amounts of tear gas to suppress racial discrimination protests that spread nationwide following the death of George Floyd, health authorities have stated that tear gas should not be used as it may worsen the COVID-19 pandemic. Robert Redfield, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), previously warned before the US House of Representatives that "tear gas and similar chemicals cause coughing, and if large crowds of protesters cough, they can spread respiratory diseases including COVID-19."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.