One day after Donald Trump was fined more than $350 million in penalties in his New York civil fraud case, he was out shilling Trump-branded sneakers to his supporters.
“I’ve wanted to do this for a long time,” the former president said at Sneaker Con in Philadelphia on Saturday.
In an appearance that drew a mixed response, he added: “This is something I’ve been talking about for 12 years, 13 years, and I think it’s going to be a big success.”
“That’s the real deal,” he said on stage, holding up a pair of the $399 “Never Surrender” golden high-tops, which are emblazoned with a “T” and an American flag.
The sneakers were made available on GetTrumpSneakers.com, and the website predictably uses expressly outlandish language to market the shoes: “Bold, gold, and tough, just like President Trump. ... The Never Surrender sneakers are your rally cry in shoe form. Lace-up and step out ready to conquer.”
Only 1,000 pairs of Trump’s $399 sneakers were available, according to the website. According to Axios, the sneakers were marked as “sold out” just hours after they were released.
The website also is selling two other (admittedly less ostentatious) pair of Trump-branded sneakers, as well as a $99 cologne with a Trump bust atop the bottle and a $99 perfume that “captures the essence of feminine strength and elegance.”
The new items are just the latest in a long, weird line of Trump merchandise. He has sold NFT trading cards; apparel bearing his mug shot — including, apparently, parts of the suit and tie he wore for the occasion; steaks; and, for a spell, highly dubious supplements and pseudoscientific testing kits, which included a urine test.
The fine print at the bottom of GetTrumpSneakers.com says the website “is not political and has nothing to do with any political campaign.”