Donald Trumpis facing criticism after he promoted $399 sneakers a day after acourt ordered him to pay $355 million as a penalty for fraud.
The former president, 77, showcased three different pairs of shoes while attendingSneaker Conat the Philadelphia Convention Center in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
“I’ve wanted to do this for a long time. I have some incredible people that work with me on things, and they came up with this. This is something that I’ve been talking about for 12 years, 13 years, and I think it’s gonna be a big success," Trump said, according tovideoshared online.
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Donald Trump at Sneaker Con in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Feb. 17.Chip Somodevilla/Getty
Chip Somodevilla/Getty
Among the items Trump was promoting were shoes known as the “T-Red Wave” and the “POTUS 45,” which are both priced at $199 and feature a “T” and the number 45 on the sides.
A pair of gold footwear deemed the “Never Surrender High Top Sneaker," which similarly feature a “T” on each shoe, meanwhile, was priced at $399 and is currently sold out.
The purchase of a pair of sneakers — which are not tied to Trump’s presidential campaign or the Trump Organization, given that his name, image and likeness have been licensed to CIC Ventures LLC — comes with extra laces and a Trump “superhero charm." The website is also selling a “Victory47” perfume and cologne for $99 each.
Donald Trump sits in the courtroom on April 4, 2023.Andrew Kelly-Pool/Getty
Andrew Kelly-Pool/Getty
Trump’s appearance at Sneaker Con occurred a day after he was ordered to pay $354.9 million in penalties following a lengthy civil fraud trial on Friday.
The trial served to determine Trump’s punishment after Engoronruled in September 2023 that the former reality star committed fraudwhile building his real estate empire.
The ruling came just three weeks after a New York juryordered Trump to pay $83.3 millionin damages to formerEllecolumnistE. Jean Carrollfor defamatory statements he made about her in 2019.
Donald Trump attends his fraud trial on Jan. 11 in New York City.Shannon Stapleton-Pool/Getty
Shannon Stapleton-Pool/Getty
Since leaving office in 2021, Trump has been involved inseveral legal issues and investigationson various fronts, including into his political conduct and business affairs.
Four of those investigationshave led to indictments, including the first, which made himthe only U.S. president to face criminal charges.
The next two, meanwhile, further distinguished him as the only president to face federal charges.
Trump — who hopes to return to the White House in 2025 — is polling well among Republican voters and appears the front-runner to earn the party’s presidential nomination in July.
source: people.com
