U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was recently photographed wearing a pair of $145 shoes from Florsheim that had reportedly been gifted to him by Donald Trump.
Gifting shoes can often prove problematic when it comes to guessing the recipient’s size, and there was no exception here, with the footwear donned by Rubio appearing hilariously oversized.
Trump administration’s shoe policy
Rubio, JD Vance, and every male member of the Cabinet are said to have been given the same style of shoes from the popular smart footwear company, as well as other several prominent figures connected to the MAGA movement have reportedly received the shoes as well, including Sean Hannity, Lindsey Graham, Tucker Carlson, and White House deputy chief of staff James Blair.
Despite the U.S.’s ongoing Iranian campaign dominating the news, it seems Trump likes to begin Cabinet meetings by undertaking outfit checks on his staff and ensuring everyone is enjoying the gift, according to reports. “Did you get the shoes?” he is said to ask attendees while describing them as an “incredible” item.
Unsurprisingly, social media has had its say on the footwear, with one X user querying, “If they only cost $145, why don’t they just buy a pair that fits?” While another quipped, “They have big shoes to fill.”
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A female White House official allegedly joked about the trend, saying, “All the boys have them.” Another added with a laugh, “It’s hysterical because everybody’s afraid not to wear them.”
Each pair of shoes is also said to arrive with a handwritten note from the president. In an account shared with the Times, Vice President Vance described a conversation involving himself, Trump, Rubio, and another politician.
“The president kind of holds up his hand and says, ‘No, no, no, hold on a second. There’s something much more important. Shoes.’” Vance recalled. “He peers over the Resolute Desk and he says, ‘Marco, JD, you guys have s—– shoes. We gotta get you better shoes.’”
Vance continued: “He goes out and grabs a catalog. There happens to be another politician in the room … and he actually runs us through this incredible shoe catalog. The president is gifting us with four pairs of shoes.”
Trump then asked everyone for their sizes. “He says, ‘Marco, what’s your shoe size?’ And Marco’s apparently an 11 and a half,” Vance explained. “He says, ‘JD, what’s your shoe size?’ My shoe size is 13.”
The president then turned to another politician in the room. “And he asks this politician, who I won’t embarrass, what his shoe size is, and he says, ‘seven’.”
Vance said Trump reacted with a joke: “The president, he kind of leans back in his chair and says, ‘You know you can tell a lot about a man by his shoe size.’”
Reports suggest Trump often asks people their shoe size in person before instructing an aide to place the order. The White House claims the president pays for the shoes himself.
Why these particular shoes?
Sources told The Wall Street Journal that some officials feel pressured to wear the shoes when visiting the historic building on Pennsylvania Avenue, with one cabinet secretary even being overheard complaining about having to leave their Louis Vuitton shoes behind and switch to the Florsheims.
The brand has a long history in the United States. American troops were kitted out in Florsheim shoes during both World War I and World War II, with former president Harry S. Truman also another famous face known to have worn the leather brogues.
However, it was music icon Michael Jackson who helped to popularise the brand within pop culture, after he sported their black leather loafers when performing his pre-eminent moonwalk.
Reports suggest Trump developed an interest in Florsheim shoes late last year while searching for more comfortable footwear after lengthy workdays. The exact reason he wanted a different brand is unclear, though the president has reportedly rejected wearing compression socks that could help manage Chronic venous insufficiency, a condition that can cause swelling in the calves and ankles.
In January, Trump told The Wall Street Journal he had briefly tried the medical stockings but stopped because he “didn’t like them.”
