Former US President Donald Trump made a surprise visit to Philadelphia over the weekend to announce the launch of his signature shoe line as a stopover before his scheduled trip to Michigan for a campaign rally.
His visit on Saturday (Feb.17) to what could be considered "the greatest sneaker show on earth" has been greeted with mixed and emotional reactions from those in the audience, Fox News Digital reported.
The crowd's reaction ranged from cheers for Trump to booing him during his speech. He spoke for roughly 10 minutes, appearing alongside a pair of gold custom Trump-branded shoes now being sold in limited supply for $399 a pair.
"There's a lot of emotion in this room," he quipped during his speech. They have lines going all around the block. They've never seen anything like this one."
Trump's Shoe Line
Trump confessed that he wanted to create a shoe line "for a long time"—specifically, 13 years—and he had a team of designers who worked on the project. He also noted that the "influencers" have been "very positive" about the new shoes, which were available for pre-order and were being created by CIC Ventures, the same firm making the Trump trading cards.
"They love it, and they love what we've done," he added as he flashed the shoes to the audience. "That's the real deal."
Trump told those in the audience that the most important thing they can do is vote and vowed to "turn this country around fast."
Trump's appearance in purple-state Pennsylvania came a day after he was barred from operating his business in New York for three years and was found liable for over $350 million in damages in the civil fraud case brought against him, his family, and the Trump Organization by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Mixed Reception
Prior to Trump's appearance at the annual event, Sneaker Con faced backlash from Trump critics for allowing him a venue to offer remarks.
The organizers later said that the criticism came from a statement shared on social media, but they have turned off the comments for the post on social media.
"Sneaker Con's mission is to support and promote sneaker culture through our worldwide live events and digital platforms," the statement read. "We are thankful and appreciative of the sneaker community, and recognize individuals who generate awareness and authentic sneaker related engagement towards our community."
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden's campaign team mocked Trump's Sneaker Con appearance.
"Donald Trump showing up to hawk bootleg Off-Whites is the closest he'll get to any Air Force Ones ever again for the rest of his life," said Biden-Harris 2024 communication director Michael Tyler.
