Why Donald Trump's Red-Soled Sneaker Line Could Land Him In More Legal Trouble
Since Donald Trump made history as the first president to be arrested, he's been unable to stay out of legal trouble. And thanks to his latest high-top sneaker release, he may have a new case on his hands. The "Never Surrender High-Tops" are golden, feature a bold "T," and are topped off with the American flag. The problem? These shoes also have bright red soles, just like the ones Christian Louboutin trademarked in 2008. According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, using a trademarked feature could result in the loss of the offending items or/and financial costs.
This is a big deal, as Louboutin has taken other brands to court for trademark infringement. In 2011, they sued Yves Saint Laurent for using red soles and won. But a case against Donald Trump could be much trickier, as it could anger Republicans and Trump fans. Louboutin hasn't yet publicly spoken about whether they plan to sue the leading Republican candidate, but if they do, there's a chance they could win and add to Trump's legal debts.
Donald Trump's sneakers resold for almost half a million dollars
According to the GetTrumpSneakers website, the "Never Surrender High-Tops" were a "limited edition" design, with only 1,000 pieces available at $399 a pair. Each shoe reportedly has a production number ranging from one to a thousand, with some autographed pairs. A sneakerhead at the convention reportedly paid $9,000 for an autographed pair and received an offer for $20,000 hours later. Soon enough, more than 40 pairs were listed for resale on eBay. Newsweek reports that some pairs cost thousands of dollars, with one in particular going for $450,000.
The sneakers were heavily marketed to Trump supporters, with the website copy even reading like a campaign speech. Not only were the shoes described as "bold, gold, and tough, just like President Trump," but they were also dubbed the "rally cry in shoe form" for patriots. It also states that the kicks "call out to the brave and the free" and are for "go-getters who don't know the word 'quit'."
Donald Trump got booed on the sneaker con stage
Although the sneaker sale was financially successful, it didn't come without drawbacks. Donald Trump faced some criticism for his Sneaker Con outfit after being booed earlier on stage. This may be why the GetTrumpSneakers website attempts to distance itself from him. The sneakers have a big "T" on them and are marketed by Donald Trump, but the website insists it is different from him: "Trump Sneakers are not designed, manufactured, distributed, or sold by Donald J. Trump." It adds that they used "the Trump name, image, and likeness under a license agreement," but are "not political."
Some political commentators have suspected that Donald's sneaker release might be a desperate attempt to raise money due to his many debts. However, former legal prosecutor Charles Coleman told MSNBC News, "If Kanye West and Michael Jordan had a baby, they could still not sell enough sneakers to try and overcome the debt that Donald Trump has amassed." Thanks to his lawyer, Alina Habba, the former president owes more than $80 million to E. Jean Carroll and above $500 million to New York state in penalties for business fraud.