USA / White House told Meena to stop using Kamala's name for personal brand: Report

Washington: Meena Harris, niece of US President Kamala Harris, who has made a wide influence on social media using her aunt's fame seems that she cannot use that fame anymore. Meena, a lawyer, entrepreneur, and social media influencer hogged the limelight when her aunt was named as the US Vice-Presidential nominee. Post Joe Biden's victory, Kamala Harris stepped into the White House. Things changed for Kamala but now it has certainly changed for Meena as White House's legal team has cautioned her from using aunt Kamala's name to promote her personal brand.

"Some things can’t be undone," a White House official said to LA Times. “That being said: Behaviour needs to change," the official added.

Weird to see a photo of yourself burned by an extremist mob but imagine what they would do if we lived in India. I'll tell you—23 yo labor rights activist Nodeep Kaur was arrested, tortured & sexually assaulted in police custody. She's been detained without bail for over 20 days. pic.twitter.com/Ypt2h1hWJz

— Meena Harris (@meenaharris) February 5, 2021

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

A White House official went as far as to say that the book bearing her aunt’s first name, along with a Phenomenal sweatshirt printed "Vice President Aunty," are not allowed under existing ethics rules, few reports suggested. The associates of Kamala Harris are reportedly concerned about the ethical aspects as they think such branding policies will land her up in legal trouble.

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. Though Meena after a briefeing from the team flew to the inauguration on a private plane with a Biden donor and posted about the same on Instagram.

While, being a social media influencer herself, Meena has expressed her aggression on Twitter and stood in solidarity for the farmers' protests against the three farm laws passed by India’s Parliament. She's among the few international figures to have strongly come out in support of the protests and condemning the violence on Republic Day and subsequent internet shutdown.