Trump launches his own sneaker brand after being fined $355 million for business fraud
Priced at $399, the ‘Never Surrender’ sneaker — a limited edition of 1,000 pairs of shoes that form part of the ‘Trump Sneakers’ brand — sold out just one day after going on presale
Donald Trump has taken a new step after a New York court fined him $355 million for business fraud last Friday. Showing his entrepreneurial side, the former U.S. president and Republican front-runner for the November presidential election has devised a new way of making money from his supporters: he is launching his own brand of sneakers called Trump Sneakers.
During the Sneaker Con sneaker conference held in Philadelphia on Saturday, Trump took advantage of his appearance at the event to promote his foray into this market, which is particularly popular in the United States. According to the website created for the launch of his footwear brand, the Republican will offer three different types of sneakers and two perfumes.
The star product receiving the most attention is a limited edition of 1,000 units called Never Surrender, which was priced at $399 for each pair of sneakers. Gold-colored, Converse-style shoes with a “T” on the tongue and an American flag on the heel counter (the part that covers the ankle), the Never Surrenders sold out just one day after their release. Trump is also selling the unlimited and cheaper T-Red Wave for $199, a red sneaker with a white sole that also features the “T,” the American flag and the number 45 in reference to his presidency, as well as the POTUS 45 model, which is similarly priced and much the same as the T-Red Wave but in white.
Currently, Forbes estimates Trump’s wealth at about $2.6 billion. Most of it comes from real estate assets located in New York, a region that is the heart of his business empire. Now, after last Friday’s ruling, he will not be able to run any company in the state for the next three years.
Throughout his career as a businessman, Trump has experienced bankruptcies and promoted business lines that were not well received, such as his own brand of vodka and an airline called Trump Shuttle. “I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time,” the Republican candidate said of launching the sneaker brand. “I think it’s going to be a huge success,” he added. With the already sold-out Never Surrender shoes alone, Trump has brought in $399,000.
The money he makes from the sneakers will be useful to Donald Trump, who faces two major challenges that threaten to leave the billionaire cash strapped. On the one hand, he has the campaign for the November election ahead of him, and on the other, he faces a series of legal proceedings, including four criminal trials in which he must defend himself. The first of them starts soon. On March 25, the trial in the Stormy Daniels case begins; he is accused of having paid hush money to a porn actress to avoid harming his political career.
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