Trump gives Florsheim shoes to White House staff and guests, but the shoe manufacturer is suing him.

Some administration officials say they are forced to wear rather mediocre shoes instead of their favorite brands to please the president, writes The Guardian. Meanwhile, the company that makes the president's favorite shoes has filed a lawsuit against him over trade tariffs, reports Newsweek.

Sitting at the Resolute table, Donald Trump stared at the feet of J.D. Vance and Marco Rubio.

"Marco, J.D., you have some damn cool shoes," the US President said, leafing through a catalog and asking their shoe sizes. Rubio replied 11,5, and Vance 13. Trump leaned back in his chair and remarked, "You can tell a lot about a person by their shoe size."

This story is quoted in a Wall Street Journal article. It describes how officials, advisers, and allies visiting the White House receive gifts of leather dress shoes from Trump. The president distributes these shoes with the enthusiasm of a traveling salesman.

On the subject: Michigan mom searches all over the world for shoes for her son: his foot is 40 cm long

Cabinet meetings, working lunches, and short visits to the Oval Office can suddenly turn into conversations about shoes.

"Did you get the shoes?" Trump constantly asks his colleagues, according to several people familiar with the ritual. Some have even had to try on the president's shoes right in the Oval Office.

The shoes in question are from Florsheim, a Chicago company founded in 1892. Its catalog of classic footwear has become a presidential obsession. Many models cost around $145—a modest price for a man better known for his Brioni suits and long red ties.

According to reports, 79-year-old Trump began searching for more comfortable shoes for long workdays last year. After settling on Florsheim, he began ordering them for others. The White House claims he pays for these shoes out of his own pocket.

Rubio and Vance received their Florsheim shoes after a meeting in the Oval Office in December. Joining the club were Pete Hegseth and Howard Lutnick, as well as right-wing conservative television and radio hosts Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson, and Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.

One White House staffer quipped, "All the boys have them." Another added, "It's funny because everyone's afraid not to wear them."

One cabinet member reportedly complained privately that the president's gift forced him to give up his favorite Louis Vuitton shoes, but few are willing to risk offending their boss by leaving their Florsheims gathering dust in the closet.

The president even developed a little trick to entertain guests: he guesses shoe sizes. After confirming his guess is correct, Trump instructs an aide to place an order. A week later, a brown box arrives at the White House, sometimes bearing Trump's signature or a short note, the Wall Street Journal reports.

According to some aides, a small stack of shoe boxes, each with the recipient's name, now sits in the space next to the Oval Office.

Rubio, for example, already had his own history with the brand. During the 2016 presidential campaign, he showed up in New Hampshire wearing shiny black shoes, and critics assumed they were designer shoes worth nearly $2000. His team eventually clarified that they were Florsheim shoes, which cost around $135.

Trump, who stands 6 feet 3 inches tall, couldn't resist poking fun at his opponent. "It's good to be tall," he said, referring to himself. "Their heels (Rubio's) are so big."

Trump's generosity in distributing shoes only reinforces the notion of the White House as a "boys' club." A Brookings Institution study found that his administration is the least diverse in this century. In his first 300 days in office, women made up only 16% of Senate confirmations.

Meanwhile, Trump's favorite shoe brand, Florsheim, has sued him over tariffs imposed during his second term.

Weyco Group Inc., which owns Florsheim Shoe Company, filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of International Trade in December challenging the legality of the duties and seeking a refund of payments it says were collected illegally.

In its lawsuit, Weyco claims the president exceeded his authority by imposing sweeping tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), and is asking the court to declare these actions unlawful and order the return of the amounts paid, with interest. The case is part of a broader wave of lawsuits by importers seeking to preserve their right to demand tariff refunds following Supreme Court decisions limiting the use of IEEPA.

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Weyco's lawsuit, filed December 1, 2025, alleges that Trump "claims the right to unilaterally impose tariffs on goods imported from any country in the world" without notice, without opportunity for public comment, and without congressional authorization.

The lawsuit names as defendants the United States, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Office of the United States Trade Representative, the Commerce Department, and Donald Trump as President of the United States.

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