More than 360,000 electric balloon pumps sold at Dollar Tree and through DoorDash have been recalled after several reports of overheating, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The agency says there has been at least one balloon pump that produced flames inside the unit and another report of a unit exploding.
“Consumers should stop using the recalled electric balloon pumps immediately and return it to any Dollar Tree store to receive a full refund,” the CPSC said in a press release. “Consumers who purchased the electric balloon pump online should contact the firm to receive a pre-paid shipping label to return the recalled product to receive a full refund.”
The balloon pump is made of plastic and appears pink with a blue handle. The pump has two blue nozzles on the top used to blow up balloons. The model number is 406198, which appears on both the packaging and the plastic product itself.
The pumps, which were manufactured in China, were sold from August 2025 to July 2026 for roughly $17. Thankfully, no injuries have been reported.
The U.S. has seen a large number of food and product recalls in recent months that have focused renewed attention on the regulatory environment after President Donald Trump retook power in Jan. 2025. The Trump regime fired the three Democratic members of the CPSC board, leaving just two Republican members. The Republican-controlled Senate confirmed two Trump appointees this past August, finally giving the agency a quorum to do its work.
The Trump appointees were opposed by dozens of consumer groups, largely over the lack of experience of these political actors in product safety regulations. As the Consumer Federation of America wrote in July to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: “Product safety hazards have no partisan leanings, and neither should the Commission tasked with addressing them.”
The group had concerns that the nominees, Brien Lorenze and Karen Sessions, would potentially be working in the interests of Donald Trump rather than the American people.
“Diverse perspectives and transparency improve safety,” the letter explains. “Silencing the voices of subject matter experts with whom the President politically disagrees or who may not serve his financial interests can have a chilling effect on the CPSC’s functions. This is particularly troublesome given the conflict of interest created by the President’s financial stake and those of his family and supporters in consumer products the CPSC is entrusted to regulate.”
President Trump made roughly $2.2 billion during his first year back in power. It’s unclear how much he’s raked in so far during 2026.
