"Have you received your shoes yet?" is a question US President Donald Trump often asks during cabinet meetings. Trump, the 79-year-old billionaire known for his discerning taste, frequently wears expensive Brioni suits and red ties. Late last year, he began seeking comfortable accessories for long workdays and chose Florsheim.
Florsheim is an American shoe brand with a history spanning over 100 years. Its designs combine comfort and elegance, with prices starting at 145 USD. Trump became so fond of the brand that he developed a habit of guessing everyone's shoe size.
He would ask an assistant to place an order, and a week later, a brown Florsheim box would arrive at the White House. Trump often signs the box or includes a thank-you note. According to the White House, he personally paid for these shoes.
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US President Donald Trump and government leaders attend a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in january. Photo: AFP.
Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio received shoes from Trump in 12/2025. Vance recounted that during an intense discussion in the Oval Office, Trump unexpectedly looked across the table and said, "Marco, JD, your shoes are terrible." The US president then pulled out a product catalog and asked for each person's shoe size. Rubio wore size 11,5, Vance size 13, and one more person reported size 7.
"The president leaned back and said, 'You know, you can tell a lot about a man by his shoe size'," Vance recounted.
Many other officials also received this gift, including Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and Communications Director Steven Cheung. Fox News host Sean Hannity and Senator Lindsey Graham each received a pair as well.
"All the gentlemen received shoes," a female White House official said.
Recipients began wearing Florsheim shoes when near Trump, though some appeared somewhat reluctantly. One source indicated that a minister once complained about having to put aside his Louis Vuitton shoes to wear the president's gift.
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A Florsheim shoe model on its website. Photo: Florsheim.
US presidents have a tradition of gifting since the 1880s. Christmas turkeys have been a traditional gift for White House staff for decades. Franklin D. Roosevelt once gave keychains featuring his terrier, Fala; Lyndon Johnson presented guests with electric toothbrushes bearing the presidential seal; and George W. Bush favored giving cufflinks.
Trump often gives out MAGA hats from a storage room outside the Oval Office. He also frequently distributes commemorative coins, signed photos with staff, or black Sharpie pens used for signing official documents.
Thomas Florsheim Jr., CEO of Weyco Group and the fifth generation of the Florsheim family, stated he was unaware of the president's shoe orders and declined further comment.
The Florsheim brand was founded in 1892 in Chicago by Sigmund Florsheim and his son Milton. The company supplied military goods during both World Wars and is associated with President Harry Truman and the "King of Pop" Michael Jackson, known for his iconic moonwalk. Despite facing ups and downs and filing for bankruptcy in 2002, Florsheim has since stabilized under the Weyco Group.
Hong Hanh (According to WSJ)
