- Donald Trump made a surprise appearance at "Sneaker Con" in Philadelphia on Saturday.
- The former president took the stage to launch a new line of $400 gold high-top sneakers.
Former President Donald Trump made a surprise appearance at "Sneaker Con" in Philadelphia on Saturday.
Trump took to the stage at the event, which describes itself as "the greatest sneaker show on Earth," to launch a new line of $399 gold high-top sneakers.
The shiny gold "Never Surrender High-Tops" features an American flag on the back and a capital "T" on the side.
They are available on a website selling Trump cologne and other Trump-branded shoes. The site says that only 1,000 pairs of the high-top sneakers will be made.
The website says it "is not political and has nothing to do with any political campaign."
But the younger, more diverse crowd met Trump with a distinctly mixed reaction as he introduced the shoes, with both boos and cheers ringing out around the Philadelphia Convention Center.
The distinct odor of weed wafted through the room on occasion as the former president launched into his sales pitch, The Associated Press reported.
"Wow," Trump said to the audience. "There's a lot of emotion in this room."
"This is something that I've been talking about for 12 years, 13 years. And I think it's going to be a big success," he continued, AP reported.
Trump getting booed at Sneaker Con while trying to sell Trump Shoes for $399.00. pic.twitter.com/ieMjb7FCVp
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) February 17, 2024
The move came just a day after a New York judge ordered Trump to pay $355 million in penalties after finding he had committed fraud and manipulated his net worth.
In the verdict, New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron criticized Trump and other defendants: "Their complete lack of contrition and remorse borders on pathological."
The ruling could be a catastrophic blow to Trump's finances as he seeks reelection to the White House.
Trump claimed last year that he had more than $400 million in cash at his disposal.
But that money could be in danger of running out, considering Trump is facing the $355 million civil-fraud case ruling, interest, and a further $83.3 million penalty that a federal jury ordered he must pay E. Jean Carroll for defamation.