Claim:

MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell offered one of the company’s pillows for $14.88 – a price associated with white supremacists, the far right and neo-Nazis.

Evaluation:

context

MyPillow has one of its items on sale for $14.88, and the number 1488 is associated with the far right. However, CEO Mike Lindell denied that the number was chosen because of its association with white supremacists and neo-Nazis.

In September 2024, a claim circulated online that MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell sold a pillow for $14.88—an amount associated with the white supremacist movement.

A social media user posted the rumor on X, along with pictures allegedly showing a “flash sale” from the bedding manufacturer (archived).

At the time of writing, the X post had already amassed over 62,000 views, but the claim was spreading elsewhere on the platform and on Reddit.

One X user asked if the claim was true, while another simply stated that it was “fake.”

The selling price caused a stir because 1488 is a popular number in right-wing extremist, racist and neo-Nazi circles. According to the Anti-Defamation League:

1488 is a combination of two popular white supremacist numerical symbols. The first symbol is 14, an abbreviation of the “14 Words” slogan: “We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children.” The second is 88, which stands for “Heil Hitler” (H is the 8th letter of the alphabet). Together, the numbers form a general endorsement of white supremacy and its beliefs.

The slogan “14 Words” was attributed to David Eden Lane, a co-founder of a now-defunct white supremacist organization called “The Order.”

MyPillow had previously used discount codes such as “QAnon,” “Q,” and “Storm” on its website. The first two refer to the far-right conspiracy theory forum, while “Storm” referred to a conspiracy theory that the insurrection at the Capitol in Washington, DC, on January 6, 2021, would result in the execution of Trump’s enemies.

Did MyPillow offer the item for $14.88?

The claim that MyPillow held a $14.88 discount on one of its items was true. The company had reported the discount on X three times at the time of this writing, on September 20, 23, and 24 (archived).

“Sleep like a dream with our standard MyPillow for only $14.88! Use promo code R277 to claim this deal and wake up refreshed every morning. Don’t miss out on the ultimate comfort upgrade – get yours today!” the first two posts said, while the third added that it was a “limited time offer.”

Clicking on the link in the X posts opened a website that again displayed the selling price (archived):

(mypillow.com)

However, despite the true retail price, it was not clear why MyPillow or Lindell chose to sell the standard pillow for $14.88.

On September 23, the New York Post tabloid reached out to Lindell, pointing out the number’s connection to neo-Nazis. The MyPillow CEO reportedly said he had “no idea what this is about,” adding that 88 cents is a price commonly used by other retailers like Walmart.

“We’ve done this many times,” Lindell apparently told the Post. “It had nothing to do with whatever you want to make of it.”

We reached out to MyPillow to ask what Lindell knew about that specific number before she announced that sale price, whether anyone else at the company chose the number, and what the company planned to do in light of the ongoing backlash. This story will be updated if we receive a response. At the time of this writing, the company has maintained the sale price despite days of criticism.

Snopes had previously investigated whether a photo showed Lindell at a rally of former US President Donald Trump, whom the MyPillow CEO supports.

Sources