U.S. President Donald Trump has developed an unusual obsession with the men’s shoe brand favored by Michael Jackson, and it is now turning into something of a loyalty test for those closest to him in the White House. The 79-year-old president expects aides and senior members of his administration to wear black Oxford shoes made by the American company Florsheim, a brand with Jewish roots.
The model costs just $145 and can be found in most discount shoe stores. The shoes gained fame when the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, chose to perform his iconic moonwalk while wearing them. Sources at the White House say an atmosphere has emerged in which officials worry about not wearing the shoes that Trump distributes. One cabinet member complained that he had to shelve his expensive Louis Vuitton footwear in favor of the simple leather pair.
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Moonwalk shoes: Donald Trump with the German chancellor
(Photo: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP)
According to The Wall Street Journal, the list of recipients is long and includes much of the male leadership of the administration. Trump reportedly asks cabinet members at the start of meetings whether they have received their shipment of shoes. Some have even been asked to lace them up in the Oval Office in front of cameras, much to their embarrassment.
Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have already received pairs, along with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, deputy chief of staff James Blair and speechwriter Ross Worthington. Conservative and controversial commentator Tucker Carlson, whose relationship with Trump has seen ups and downs, received a pair of brown wingtip shoes, a different style from the black Oxford model the president distributes to others.
Trump is also known for strongly advising against wearing brown shoes with dark suits. Still, the pair Carlson received came from the same Florsheim brand that Trump recommends to nearly everyone around him.
One recipient said Trump keeps a stack of the shoes in one of his White House offices. On one box he noticed the name “Scott,” apparently intended for Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Trump asks aides to place the orders and then signs the box or adds a personal thank-you note before presenting the shoes. The White House said the president pays for them out of his own pocket.
Trump has also developed the unusual habit of guessing the shoe sizes of people around him directly to their faces. At a cabinet meeting last December, after trying to guess the sizes of Rubio, 45.5, and Vance, 47, Trump leaned back in his chair and declared that “you can learn a lot about a person from their shoe size.”
From Michael Jackson to the White House
The fascination began late last year, when Trump, known for his preference for oversized suits and long ties, started searching for more comfortable footwear. He ultimately settled on the brand founded in Chicago in 1892 by Sigmund Florsheim, a German Jewish immigrant and shoemaker, along with his son Milton. The company supplied shoes to American soldiers during both world wars and also to then-President Harry Truman. Over the years the firm experienced ups and downs, including bankruptcy in 2002.
Today, Thomas Florsheim Jr., a fifth-generation member of the founding family, serves as the group’s CEO. The family has long been known as a prominent supporter of Israeli causes and Jewish charities in Chicago. The company itself has kept its distance, saying it has no knowledge of orders connected to Trump or the White House. Still, it is difficult to ignore that the shoes once associated with Michael Jackson have become a new status symbol in the corridors of American power.
When reporters from The New York Times visited the White House, Vance and Rubio happily displayed the shoes they received from Trump. Vance even lifted his leg in midair to show the president the pair he was wearing at that moment. The gifts, however, come with some drawbacks. On the same day, Rubio was photographed on Capitol Hill wearing shoes that did not fit properly, with a noticeable gap at the heel.
Fashion writers warned that shoes in the wrong size can cause real physical problems and suggested that Trump invite a professional fitter to the White House to ensure proper sizing.