Donald Trump arrived at Sneaker Con in Philadelphia on Saturday to an emotionally charged audience as he revealed his new line of sneakers.
The former president took to the stage at the congregation of shoe lovers to launch his range of footwear—the centerpiece of which was a pair of $399 "never surrender" high-tops.
The gold Trump-branded shoes quickly sold out, and Trump has marveled on social media that listings for the shoes on eBay were being offered for as high as $7,500.
While the presence of pairs of the shoes on stage with the former president suggests they are already being manufactured, it remains unclear where they are being made, and by whom.
The website established to sell the sneakers says that the designs are trademarked by CIC Ventures LLC, and "are not designed, manufactured, distributed or sold by Donald J. Trump, The Trump Organization or any of their respective affiliates or principals."
CIC Ventures LLC was established in Palm Beach, Florida, in 2021, after being formed in Delaware. At the time its two managers were listed as Nicholas Luna, who served as Trump's personal assistant in the White House, and John B. Marion IV, a local lawyer who also worked for Trump, state business records show.
New York Times journalist Ken Bensinger previously reported that CIC Ventures had licensed Trump's image and likeness for the $99 NFT trading cards that the former president promoted in late 2022. The trading card website says his likeness is licensed from CIC Digital, a distinct corporation registered in Delaware.
As of the latest filing, in April 2023, Marion was the only person listed as a member of the company. The address given for the company is that of the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach.
The Trump sneaker website says that though the trademarks are owned by CIC Ventures, "45Footwear LLC uses the Trump name, image and likeness under a license agreement which may be terminated or revoked according to its terms."
45Footwear LLC was established on January 31 this year, and is registered in Sheridan, Wyoming, a city with a population of around 19,000. Its registered address—an unassuming building on an industrial estate in the southwest of the city—is that of a local law firm which specializes in establishing LLCs in the state and whose address is used for numerous other companies.
The name listed on state filings for 45Footwear is Andrew Pierce, a paralegal for the law firm Wyoming Trust & LLC Attorney who previously lived in the Caribbean "where he owned a successful business development company" and "learned to navigate the various tax regimes each island offered to maximize value for his investors," according to the law firm's website.
Newsweek approached Pierce via the company on Monday with questions about where the sneakers were being manufactured, as well as why Wyoming had been chosen as the place to establish the company, but has not yet received a response. Newsweek has also contacted the Trump campaign via email on Tuesday.
The sneakers' website does stress that the brand "is not political and has nothing to do with any political campaign."
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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