POLITICSUNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Trump hawks $399 golden sneakers after court-ordered fine
9 hours ago9 hours ago
US presidential candidate Donald Trump presented a pair of golden sneakers at the “Sneaker Con” convention in Pennyslvania a day after he was ordered to pay nearly $355 million over a New York civil fraud conviction.
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Donald Trump golden sneakers
Trump has begun selling golden sneakers at a price of $399, with the presidential candidate likely facing over $500 million in legal debtsImage: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Photo/picture alliance
Former US president and presidential candidate Donald Trump on Saturday advertised a pair of golden sneakers at “Sneaker Con.”
“I’ve wanted to do this a long time,” the former president said when he announced the launch of a sneaker line.
The convention is held in the city of Philadelphia in the northeastern state of Pennsylvania.
Trump sells sneakers ahead of likely election rematch
The shoes, called “The Never Surrender High-Tops,” are to be sold at a price of $399 (€370).
The website selling the shoes says it has no connection to Trump’s electoral campaign.
“The Never Surrender sneakers are your rally cry in shoe form. Lace- up and step out ready to conquer,” the website says, referring to the shoes as a “true collector’s item” that is “bold, gold and tough, just like President Trump.”
Donald Trump speaking while presenting golden sneakers at Pennsylvania sneaker conventionDonald Trump speaking while presenting golden sneakers at Pennsylvania sneaker convention
Donald Trump was met with mixed reception as he presented his ‘Never Surrender High-Tops’ at Pennyslvania’s ‘Sneaker Con’ eventImage: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Photo/picture alliance
The politician’s appearance was met with a mix of boos and chants of “USA!” from the audience.
Trump is likely to face off against incumbent President Joe Biden on November 5, with both candidates poised to receive their respective parties’ nomination. Trump was defeated by Biden in 2021 after the Republican politician’s first term as president.
His biggest competitor for the Republican nomination, Nikki Haley, trails far behind Trump in opinion polls.
Trump to pay over $350 million over fraud
The announcement comes a day after Trump was ordered to pay $354.9 million by a New York judge and was banned from running businesses in the state of New York, a ruling the former president called a “sham.” With interest the legal fine amounts to more than $450 million.
Trump had been accused of providing banks and others with fraudulent financial statements that inflated his wealth, allowing him to acquire loans on more beneficial terms and save on interest.
The Republican politician is also facing several other indictments, including a hush money trial set to go underway in late March.
Trump has also been ordered to pay $83.3 million to writer E. Jean Carroll for defamation after she accused him of having sexually assaulted her in the 1990s.
Trump’s legal debts, including interest payments, could now exceed $500 million.
sdi/lo (AP, Reuters)
