Trump Sneakers
Live! From New York, it's...wait, what?
Via the AP: Trump hawks $399 branded shoes at ‘Sneaker Con,’ a day after a $355 million ruling against him.
As he closes in on the Republican presidential nomination, former President Donald Trump made a highly unusual stop Saturday, hawking new Trump-branded sneakers at “Sneaker Con,” a gathering that bills itself as the “The Greatest Sneaker Show on Earth.”
Trump was met with loud boos as well as cheers at the Philadelphia Convention Center as he introduced what he called the first official Trump footwear.
The shoes, shiny gold high tops with an American flag detail on the back, are being sold as “Never Surrender High-Tops” for $399 on a new website that also sells other Trump-branded shoes and “Victory47” cologne and perfume for $99 a bottle. He’d be the 47th president if elected again.
Well, all perfect for President’s Day gifts, no doubt.
From NBC news, here’s a shot of the sneakers:
Seriously, the level of grift here is off the charts and the unintentional self-parody of it all is of such mass that I am shocked a mini-black hole didn’t appear as a result of the product announcement as the whole event simply collapsed in on itself.
As an SNL skit, one would have thought it too silly, and yet here’s reality, yet again proving it wins the absurdity competition.
And while on one level I can’t help but make jokes, the reality is that this is clearly nothing more than a grotesque cash grab aimed at exploiting his own supporters, many of whom will, no doubt, be sporting these monstrosities at the next MAGA rally.
It is yet another in a long string of public self-exposures of Trump’s character. And while it is certainly not the worst of those glimpses by any stretch, it is still telling. If you can look at this and not see the obvious attempt as pure exploitation, then you might be a MAGA. Nobody could possibly believe that the goal here is a real product that a mass audience would want. Like with Trump University, Trump steaks, and any number of Trump-branded products, he demonstrates himself to be no better than a dishonest street merchant selling the equivalent of fake Rolexes to whatever credulous rube he can fool.
And he deserves to be understood and evaluated the same way we look at such hucksters and yet he might yet again become the most powerful person in the world.
What kind of a man can actually look to this buffoon as a leader? Seriously, if you are capable of admiring Donald Trump, turn in your ‘man card,’ cuz you ain’t much of one.
I’ve no objection in principle that Lardass be the richest convict ever.
He can take the proceeds and invest in cigarettes, opiates, or whatever is used as currency in prisons these days.
I’ve worked for two billionaires. Real billionaires. One was worth $2.7B. The other was worth $1.9B.
There is no world in which either of these two guys would sell sneakers, vodka, steaks, a “university”, memorial coins, etc. True billionaires don’t need to do this because their money makes money, literally.
Trump will soon be exposed as to what he has always been: an over-leveraged, two bit, conman who took his dad’s hundreds of millions, and, through bad deals, bankruptcies, and, ultimately, the presidency, lost it all. He’s doomed. He can’t pay these debts, and his properties are too leveraged for him to actually sell them at any kind of profit.
Someone is about to get some sweet deals on Trump properties.
And the licensing business is gone – forever. Who wants “Trump” on their buildings now, after Trump University Fraud, NYC Business Fraud, Trump Foundation Fraud.
Crocs at least serve a purpose in their hideousness–they are easy to wash off. These are ugly and expensive and will probably fall apart on the first or second wear (presumably, these are made in China?). Pathetic cash grab.
Hilarious, in a “dear Gawd how low can he go” way.
Axios reports that the $399 sneakers sold out within hours of being launched. You can also obtain $199 sneakers.
Go here to purchase yours: http://www.gettrumpsneakers.com.
I’d laugh, but we’ve gone too far down the road to total degradation.
Any work on where they are made??
@CSK: Ah, that’s easy. Only 1,000 pairs were made. It’s completely feasible that someone* made a bulk purchase at the offering price and we’ll see them sprouting up elsewhere for double that.
* “Someone”–> any Trump family member.
ETA: The shoes are part of a licensing agreement with “CIC Ventures,” which a person on Twitter notes is the abbreviation for “Commander in Chief.” It’s apparently the same organization that launched the ill-fated NFTs.
@Jen:
You can’t go lower than somebody’s feet.
@Jen:
Of course! CIC, MAGA, Patriots, and President Trump are all labels that can be sold. He didn’t announce his campaign to be POTUS again in November 2022 because he wants to lead the country. He’s only interested in expanding his brand and he started the grift as soon as he feasibly could.
And he wants to stay out of jail.
@Jen:
And with the purchase of any pair of sneakers you get extra laces AND a Trump Superhero Charm!
By the way, TEMU sells the identical gold sneaker, minus the flag, for $18.
@EddieInCA: I assume that Trump follows a long line of hucksters who will attach their name to anything as long as they make something off of it. The movie Idiocracy really was prescient, the president of the country was President Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Camacho. I have no doubt that in a second term Trump would have no compunction selling naming rights as long as he got a piece of the action.
The Taco Bell Liberty Bell
Mt. Rushmore brought to you by Home Depot
The United States of Amazon
and the Grift goes on forever ….
I’ve been looking at some online betting websites to see if I can place a bet on the odds of say Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Schwartman or some other actual billionaire putting up the $500 Million bond on Trump’s behalf. I might take a long shot bet on ‘Russian Oligarchs.’
@al Ameda:
Don’t forget MBS.
Trump would have trouble with this. First, he won’t be able to tolerate being Elon’s bitch. Trump is #1, always #1, and there is no #2 in his cosmology, just lower life forms. Second, what fun the Democrats would have running ads showing Trump on Elon’s leash.
But in desperate times Donnie might grab at any life raft he sees.
@Michael Reynolds:
But Trump seemed more than willing to be Putin’s bitch.
@CSK:
This is why I’ve maintained for 8 years now that no, it’s not that Trump admires Putin, it’s that Putin has some power over Trump that Trump can’t shake off. Trump isn’t a sycophant, but he is a coward and desperately insecure and needy. Putin has something on him, something Trump cannot metabolize, something that would humiliate him. If not the famous ‘piss tape’ then something like it. Likely something sexual. Ever notice that Trump cannot shut up about E Jean Carrol, his victim, but has not reacted publicly to the best of my knowledge about Stormy Daniels’ belittling of his unit? He sees rape as macho, but a tiny dick?
Democrats should lean into stories about Trump’s offensive diaper smell. He won’t be able to deal with it.
I see these shoes as aposematic coloring to warn us of dangerously unstable individuals that may be lurking among us.
@EddieInCA:
Already there:
“Luxury” is an odd way to spell “garishness.”
@Michael Reynolds
Unfortunately, I think it’s something far less exciting: both Trump and his father made most of their wealth laundering money for the Genovese crime family. The Russian mob took over their operations in the 90s, including the Trump family. Because of the KGB involvement in the Russian mob, Putin has access to all the details of Trump’s money laundering and that’s what he’s holding over Trump.
The idea is not new either.
1975: Rocky Horror Picture Show
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/14/99/79/149979cee95dff87f3c81946a139aa86.jpg
Don’t ask me how I know.
@DK:
The average MAGA equates garishness with luxury.
@Sleeping Dog:
There are evidently several countries where the shoes are made. Italy, Spain, Portugal, and of course China. While they are not made in the USA, they are to be sold here. Using the global supply chain to stick it to the globalists no doubt.
@EddieInCA:
Maybe. We’re all going to get an education about New York state’s (and other states’) LLC laws. We already know the state is going to find some really strange things when they look closely. The oversight person has reported a $48M loan supposedly made by Trump to one of the LLCs and the only documentation is an entry on a Trump tax return.
@Liberal Capitalist:
What? Never been to one of the midnight showings where lots of people come in costume, and the whole audience sings along?
BJ has a post about this, LGM has one also. My guess: – this is also getting a lot of attention on “conservative” media.
Donnie is an attention whore, always needy about having people paying attention.
@Michael Reynolds:
Probably, but recall that back in 2015-16, Putin called Trump “smart.” Trump, who had never heretofore breathed the name Putin, immediately went into ecstasies about receiving a compliment from the “highly respected” Vladimir Putin. Flattery will get you everywhere with Trump.
On the other hand, Trump’s behavior in Helsinki did strongly suggest that Putin has something on him.
@Stormy Dragon: @CSK:
Trump does enjoy a compliment, but he is not capable of loyalty or self-discipline. He shits all over any number of people who kiss his ass. And it took 83 million dollars to get him to shut up about Ms. Carroll.
I would not bet serious money that I’m right, but I’ll bet a symbolic dollar that within a year or two we’ll see what Putin is holding.
@CSK: And the Trump Superhero Charm is designed to be threaded through the shoelaces!!! 😛 And don’t forget the Trump perfume and cologne. There’s enough stuff available for a person to get a charm for each shoe!!!
@Michael Cain:
Midnight movie showings, I remember those things. I only ever went to two of them. Easy Rider was one, the other I think was Last Tango in Paris. Never saw Rocky Horror.
@DK: I do believe that the Trump name on the building is one reason why my rent across the street from Central Park is as low as it is…
@Jen:
The NFTs cost next to nothing to produce, and sold out. They were not ill-fated. They were one of Trump’s best business decisions ever.
@Just nutha ignint cracker:
A true MAGA could equip him or herself from head to foot! Caps and sneakers!!! Charms! Perfume!
And for the torso in between, plenty of neat t-shirts!
I’ll spare you the image of a fat, saggy middle-aged woman with “TRUMP BONER GARAGE” printed on her abdomen and an arrow pointing down at her crotch.
Now, now, now, let’s look on the bright side here. How many MAGA-rats will buy them and actually wear them in the open thus outing themselves and causing normal people to point and howl with laughter?
Next up: the Trump forehead tattoo. In 3 colors. One of them bioluminescent and therefore glow in the dark.
Any fashion experts here? Because I just don’t see how those go with a red MAGA hat.
@Gustopher: I was remembering that his mug shot trading card line reduced the value of his original NFTs by 30%:
https://fortune.com/crypto/2023/12/13/donald-trump-dents-price-of-previous-nfts-with-new-mugshot-collection/
@Jen: Resale value is irrelevant to the original seller, so long as they can sell the next grift.
@wr: Hmmm. Makes me wonder if I can find a Trump-branded building here in Los Angeles.
@Michael Reynolds:
I suspect it’s complicated and likely deviant and warped with Putin.
This is the one. Don’t know how I overlooked it.
a couple of riends and I discussed (texted) this earlier today and both of them think it will be the Saudis who fund the escrow, perjhaps by ‘investing’ more with Jared.
Those things are clown shoes. Fitting.
So he has gone from being the President of the United States to being…a shoe salesman?
@Chip Daniels: He’s relatively qualified for one of those jobs!
@CSK: And as garish as the Temp ones are, they look like higher quality than the Trump ones.
You missed the best bit. Trump said “This is something that I’ve been talking about for 12 years, 13 years.”
He has to claim credit for even the crudest idea if it looks like making money.
@Steven L. Taylor: That’s what I thought.
@Chip Daniels:
So he has gone from being the President of the United States to being…a shoe salesman?
Sure, he works alongside Al Bundy…
@Chip Daniels: And the shoes are beyond tacky. Probably ill-made, too.
Political Science 201 Like books by politicians just another way to get around campaign donation limits.
Dark Money!!!!!!!!!
@EddieInCA:
Most Democrats believe there should be no billionaires. Extra money should be confiscated for the common good.
@Paul L.: Please provide a citation for this claim. Particularly the “most Democrats” part. Any scientific survey will do.
There is a difference in believing that “there should be no billionaires” vs. “tax policy should be designed to ensure that those with the most, pay the most.”
@Jen:
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: A system that allows billionaires to exist alongside extreme poverty is immoral
Bernie Sanders, Breadtube and Hasan Piker have condemned billionaires.
@Paul L.: I actually think the world could do very well without billionaires. “Behind great wealth there lies a great crime”. Balzac was onto something there. “For the love of money is the root of all evil “ is a bible quote. There’s also that Jesus said rich men don’t go to heaven. And the thing that gets my goat is so much private wealth is created from public funds. Ask Elon.
@Paul L.:
So four people is “most Democrats”?
You’re not very good at this. Be better. Try harder.
@Paul L.:
Well that explains explains why so many billionaires live in the San Francisco Bay Area
@al Ameda:
Larry Ellison declared Forbes’ richest Bay Area man, but he doesn’t even live here.
@EddieInCA:
Breadtube including the Young Turks and their clones like Majority Report with Sam Seder and Trans activists who started new show because Anna is a TERF is over 100 communists.
Billionaires per capita, by state:
1) Wyoming
2) New York
3) Nevada
4) California
5) Connecticut
6) Montana
7) Florida
8) Massachusetts
9) Texas
10) Colorado
5 solid blue states, all with significant populations.
5 red states, 1 with the population of a mid-sized city, one with barely a million people. And Nevada which, let’s face it, is just California’s extra room. Florida with 0% state income tax is number 7. Texas also 0% state income taxes is number 9. California with the highest state income tax in the country has 24% of all billionaires against just 12% of the US population.
In terms of raw number as opposed to percentage, California has 186 billionaires to Texas’s 73. Texas has just 40% as many billionaires against a population that is 75% of California’s.
@Paul L.:
True. Ellison lives in solidly Democratic Hawaii. State income tax rate tops out at 11%, just behind California.
@Paul L.:
So no one in any position of leadership in the Democratic Party?
Again. You suck at this. Be better.
@EddieInCA:
The January 6 Insurrectionists were not in any position of leadership in the Republican Party? But they show the MAGA extremism of the Republican Party.
I understand you consisted “MAGA extremist” Trump a January 6 Insurrectionist. But unlike nonInsurrectionist NOTAFED Ray Epps, Trump was not at the US Capitol or charged with Trespass or Insurrection.
@Michael Reynolds: Given the way most billionaires make additional money, I doubt income taxes are all that relevant to them. Other taxes, sure, but not income taxes.
@EddieInCA: “So four people is “most Democrats”?”
Hell, make it five. I’d be happy to see a 99% marginal tax on every dollar over say, 100 million.
@Paul L.:
No, but the leader of the GOP did tell those same persons that he loved them.
He said he understood them and validated their belief that the election was stolen.
So, there’s that.
@Michael Reynolds:
No Billionaire names in your list.
More than half of America’s richest billionaires live in one of four states.
BTW, it is hardly an indefensible position that billionaires represent unhealthy and unjust wealth accumulation.
To suggest that Jeff Bezos should have less wealth so that very poor people can get basic services is not unreasonable.
Unless you think that all wealth distributions are utterly just and wholly deserved (from the poorest to the wealthiest) you can’t discount such discussions.
Soooo bad. So very, very bad. That one gave me whiplash. 😛
As a general matter, I find it super weird the way some people will defend billionaires as if they are some precious snowflakes who couldn’t possibly have a smaller yacht or fewer homes.
How rich is so rich that you can’t possibly notice the next marginal dollar (or millions of dollars) that you earn?
@Steven L. Taylor:
Or fund Gun Control Groups like Mike Bloomberg.
Filthy Kulaks. Confiscate their money.
‘Patriotic millionaires’ demand higher taxes, but unwilling to pay up.
Michael Cohen and MeidasTouch say that Trump doesn’t care about his supporters.
@Paul L.:
Of course Trump doesn’t care about his supporters. He thinks they’re trash.
We’ve come a long way from golden sneaker. Oh, dem golden sneakers…
Is there a dopamine high involved in winding up the troll I don’t know about?
Well, this is amusing:
http://www.rawstory.com/donald-trump-sneakers-fine-print/
@Paul L.:
If Trump cared about you would he force you to defend his new shoe salesman career? When he came down the escalator, is this the great future you anticipated? Did you think that in 2024 you’d be justifying him taking over the role of Al Bundy?
Can you imagine Lincoln selling shoes? Eisenhower? Reagan? Biden? No, of course not. Nor would they peddle valueless NFT’s. Nor would they call themselves billionaires while fleecing suckers scraping by on social security.
Name the ‘strong man’ who sold worthless souvenirs to their supporters. Your boy Adolf? Benito? How about Putin? Have you seen Putin peddling vodka shot glasses?
Poor man, your cult leader just got booed off-stage while pitching golden sneakers. You sure this is what Jesus had in mind when he picked Trump to save the world from wokeness? You think Jesus is just stupid? Or would the stupid in this case, be you?
@Paul L.: Your response is a non sequitur.
@Michael Reynolds:
Bob Dole sold Boner pills and Trump sold NFTs and Steaks. So I don’t care about his campaign finance dodge.
Better than 4 Ex-Presidents Urge Americans to Get Vaccinated.
@Steven L. Taylor:
Just stirring up some Democrat class envy.
Michael Cohen and MeidasTouch say that Trump doesn’t care about his supporters.
@Paul L.: That link doesn’t support your claim. AOC is saying that the economic system that allows billionaires to exist alongside extreme poverty is immoral.
That is not the same as saying “billionaires shouldn’t exist.” Basic reading comprehension.
@Paul L.:
And your point is…? The article wasn’t about who, it was only about where.
@Just nutha ignint cracker:
How could I determine who were the Billionaires and if they are like Larry Ellison who lived somewhere else?
Like Teresa Heinz Kerry claims to live in Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania but spends most of her time in Boston, Massachusetts.
@Kathy: Well, it would normally be a dead thread by now, we have to entertain ourselves somehow! I keep coming back just to see where his inner squirrel squirrels off to this time.
@Kathy: Quite clearly it is an experiment in which the preexisting hypothesis about the value of interaction with the subject in question is, yet again, confirmed.
@Paul L.:
None? Josh Hawley was seen running the corridors of the Capitol trying to avoid the insurrection mob. Jim Jordan, Andy Biggs, Marjorie TG, Paul Gosar, and Speaker Mike Johnson (yes, Mike counts as Republican leadership), to name a few, were active in the January 6th sedition effort.
But, please continue, be all that you can be.
@Paul L.:
Sigh, I realize that nuance can be difficult but here goes.
Much of this depends on who is being defined as a “January 6 Insurrectionist.”
If you are defining the “Insurrection” as simply the breaking of the capital, this is largely correct. There have been accusations of direct collusion, but there has been no substantial evidence to date to prove that. And I definitely don’t think anyone who has been charged in that action to date would fit that categorization.
If you are defining the “Insurrection” as the entire attempt to overthrow Constitutional order and disrupt the peaceful transition of power, then this is, on its face, false. The entire effort began with the defacto leader of the Republican Party, former President Trump, and flowed through the high levels of the Republican Party, including the RNC chair, based on accounts from Michigan.
Of course, many people reject the entire premise. Which is their opinion. Ultimately much of this is the crux of the DC prosecution of Trump, so we’ll know more about this in the months to come.
@Paul L.: Why does it matter? Are you concerned about the voter fraud potential of a fraction of 1% of a fraction of 1%?
@CSK:
“Our official Donald J. Trump sneakers and fragrances are a tribute to the Trump legacy…”
(shudder)
@dazedandconfused: There’s no way to know what the author of the pitch means by calling the products a tribute to Trump’s legacy. The double entendre potentials in that statement are nearly limitless.
@Steven L. Taylor:
At the billionaire level, maybe. At the lowly barely-millionaire level, income taxes are everything.