On Politics

Thu Feb 29 2024

Sudiksha Kochi | Congress, Campaigns and Democracy Reporter

@KochiSudiksha

Hey OnPolitics readers! In case you missed it, former President Donald Trump launched new Trump-branded shoes at a sneaker convention in Philadelphia. Yes, really.

The limited-edition, numbered "true collector's item" that is "bold, gold, and tough" are called "Never Surrender High-Tops" and cost $399, USA Today's Melissa Cruz reported. With only 1,000 pairs for sale, the sneakers are already sold out.

One of the autographed pairs of the shiny gold high-tops with an American flag on the back of the shoe was bought by a Ukrainian watch collector, Romah Sharf, for $9,000 , according to the New York Times. The authenticity of those sneakers is dubious, however − the official Trump sneakers website says the shoes won't be shipped until July 2024.

👞 Who makes these shoes? A company based out of Sheridan, Wyoming, called 45Footwear is reportedly the shoe manufacturer. Wyoming, and the small town of Sheridan in particular, is an infamous haven for those wanting to start limited liability companies (LLCs) quickly and has been nicknamed the "virtual Wild, Wild West."

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❓ What is the Biden administration's response to the shoes? Biden-Harris 2024 Communications Director Michael Tyler slammed the former president's foray into popular footwear, saying, "Donald Trump showing up to hawk bootleg Off-Whites is the closest he'll get to an Air Force Ones ever again for the rest of his life."

💵Why is Trump releasing this sneaker line? The answer is likely the simplest one: a quick cash grab. Trump announced the sneaker line two days after a New York judge ordered him to pay about $454 million in penalties for business fraud. A month earlier, a jury ordered the former president to pay more than $83 million to writer E. Jean Carroll for defamation.

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