California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat who has frequently clashed with President Donald Trump, mocked the president’s “swollen” ankles and reports that he has been guessing Cabinet members’ shoe sizes, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Why It Matters
Trump has reportedly been gifting his preferred $145 Florsheim Oxford shoes to members of his Cabinet and agency heads. The Wall Street Journal reported that he often guesses the members’ shoe size and gets them delivered to the White House.
The shoes appear to denote members of Trump’s inner circle. The Wall Street Journal reported that recipients include Vice President JD Vance, Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Trump communications director Steven Cheung, deputy chief of staff James Blair, speechwriter Ross Worthington, Fox News host Sean Hannity and Senator Lindsey Graham.
Trump’s swollen ankles and instances of bruising have prompted speculation and public discussion about the health of the 79-year-old president.
What To Know
“All the boys have them,” a White House official told The Wall Street Journal of the Florsheim dress shoes that Trump has reportedly been giving Cabinet members and agency heads. Another joked to the outlet, “It’s hysterical because everybody’s afraid not to wear them.”
On Wednesday, Newsom’s press office reshared an X post with a photo of Rubio wearing oversized shoes that Trump reportedly gave him. The photo shows a notable gap between Rubio’s heel and the back of the shoe. In the caption, Newsom’s team wrote, “Maybe Trump just assumes everyone else has swollen ankles.”
The White House has previously addressed concerns over instances of the president having noticeable bruising and swelling. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said last summer that Trump was evaluated by the White House medical unit, which found “no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease.”
Doctors determined that the president has chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), or blood pooling in his veins, a condition Leavitt described as common among individuals over the age of 70.
What People Are Saying
Republicans Against Trump said in an X post: “According to media reports, Donald Trump has been buying $145 Florsheim dress shoes for allies in his inner circle, and people are reportedly ‘afraid not to wear them.’ Marco Rubio was photographed wearing a pair Trump ordered for him by just guessing his size. They looked noticeably too big.”
Late Show host Stephen Colbert said during Tuesday’s show: “Remember, Trump is just guessing at their shoe sizes, he’s not measuring them. He’s guessing, then ordering, and sometimes he overshoots. Take a look at JD Vance and Marco Rubio’s itty bitty ankles drowning in their giant clown shoes.”
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