The MAGA politician acknowledges 'there's a lot of emotion in this room' as he receives mixed reactions from the crowd when announcing his sneakers at an event in Philadelphia.
- February 20, 2024
AceShowbiz - Donald Trump believes his $399 sneakers will be a "big success." The former "The Apprentice" star made a surprise appearance at Sneaker Con in Philadelphia over the weekend, where he launched the gold "Never Surrender high-tops" to a mixture of boos and cheers from the crowd.
"Wow, there's a lot of emotion in this room. This is something that I've been talking about for 12 years, 13 years. And I think it's going to be a big success," he said.
The shoes are emblazoned with a T, American flag detailing on the back and a red and white sole and an online description for the limited-edition numbered "true collector's item" describes them as "Bold, gold, and tough, just like President Trump."
The description added, "The Never Surrender sneakers are your rally cry in shoe form. Lace-up and step out ready to conquer."
They are being sold on a new website selling other Trump-branded products including Victory' 47 fragrance costing $99 a bottle and other Trump-branded shoes, with a standard trainer offered in T-Red or POTUS white, both bearing a golden 45- representing the businessman-turned-politician's stint as the 45th US president - on the side and retailing at $199.
Despite its wares, the site insists it is not connected to his presidential campaign. The website, run by CIC Ventures LLC - a company the 77-year-old Republican candidate declared he owned in a 2023 financial disclosure - stated the new venture is "not political and has nothing to do with any political campaign."
Trump's appearance at Sneaker Con came just a day after a judge in New York banned him from serving as a company director or taking out bank loans in the state for three years, as well as ordering him to pay $354.9 million in penalties for lying about his net worth to lenders.
Judge Arthur Engoron said, "Their complete lack of contrition and remorse borders on pathological." In return, Trump branded the decision an "election interference plot" and accused the judge of being part of a conspiracy to stop him being president again.
He said, "A crooked New York state judge just ruled that I have to pay a fine of $355 million for having built a perfect company. It's a witch hunt against his political opponent, the likes of which our country has never seen before."
