President Donald Trump has reportedly turned shoes into a bonding experience for his inner circle. As the Prez recently personally gifted his favorite loafers to top advisers, after attempting to guess their shoe sizes before ordering.
Donald Trump is gifting shoes to closest advisers, claims report
The unusual tradition, detailed in a Wall Street Journal report on March 9, revealed a lighter side of the commander-in-chief’s interactions with Cabinet members and allies during an otherwise intense period. The shoes in question? A $145 pair of American-made loafers from Florsheim, paid for by Donald Trump.
Trump’s shoe fascination has created an unexpected sense of unity and perhaps pressure among his team. Multiple female White House officials shared their observations with the outlet about the phenomenon of matching shoes. “All the boys have them,” one official noted, while another added, “It’s hysterical because everybody’s afraid not to wear them.”
The shoes gift-giving appears to have reached a significant level. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick wear them. Even Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff have all been spotted wearing matching loafers in recent photos. Including during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on January 21.
Other recipients reportedly include Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and White House communications director Steven Cheung. Adding to it are deputy chief of staff James Blair, speechwriter Ross Worthington, Fox News personality Sean Hannity, and South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham.
What makes the gesture particularly personal is the president’s approach to ordering. According to people familiar with the ritual, Donald Trump asks an aide to place orders after attempting to guess each recipient’s shoe size in front of them. About a week later, a brown Florsheim box arrives at the White House, sometimes signed by Trump or accompanied by a gratitude note.
