Washington, Feb 17 (EFE).- Less than 24 hours after a judge ordered him to pay a $355 million penalty for alleged fraudulent business practices, former US President Donald Trump appeared at “SneakerCon,” promoting a new line of sports shoes bearing his name.
The Republican presidential hopeful unexpectedly showed up at the event, known as “The Greatest Sneaker Show On Earth,” in Philadelphia before heading to Michigan for a campaign rally.
The crowd at the gathering had mixed reactions, with some cheering for the former president and others booing him during his speech.
Trump showcased a pair of gold-finished and ‘T’ badged sneakers at the event, dubbed “The Never-Surrender High-Tops” and sold in limited editions for $399 a pair.
The website selling the shoes announced that only 1,000 pairs of the “first official sneaker” by Trump would be released. Described as a “rally cry in shoe form,” the sneakers are marketed as a symbol of resilience. “Lace-up and step out ready to conquer.”
“I have some incredible people that work with me on things and they came up with this … and I think it’s gonna be a big success,” the former president said at the event.
The Trump sneaker line also features laceless athletic shoes in red and white, priced at $199.
Trump’s announcement of the new business venture comes amid mounting financial challenges.
A New York court on Friday imposed a $355 million fine on him for alleged fraudulent activities, and on Jan. 25, another New York court ordered him to pay $83.3 million in damages to writer E. Jean Carroll for defamatory comments following a sexual abuse trial.
According to Forbes, Trump’s fortune is $2.6 billion, but he only has $426 million in cash. EFE
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