Ex-RNC Chair: Fox Pundit Said 'Quiet Part Out Loud' About Trump's Sneakers
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Michael Steele, a former chair of the Republican National Committee, reacted with disbelief to a Fox News contributor’s cringeworthy suggestion about Donald Trump’s new shoe line.
Trump launched a line of $399 gold sneakers a day after a New York judge ordered him to pay over $350 million in damages for decades of fraudulent business practices.
The shoes, called “The Never Surrender High-Tops,” sparked widespread mockery. But not from Fox News’ Raymond Arroyo, who suggested over the weekend that Trump was “connecting with Black America” because “they love sneakers.”
A clip of the moment gained traction on social media after it was posted midweek. Arroyo was criticized for promoting harmful racial stereotypes.
“If you want to know what Trump campaign staffers think about you, just watch Fox News,” Steele commented on MSNBC’s “All In” on Thursday.
“Somebody said the quiet part out loud on what the big sneaker strategy is really all about,” he added.
He deadpanned after playing a clip of Arroyo’s commentary.
“Seriously? Why didn’t I think of this when I ran the RNC?” he asked. “Let’s see. Black folks love sneakers. And we can paint them gold. This can’t miss.”
He added: “Trust me. It’s a big miss. And they’re ugly as hell.”
WATCH: @MichaelSteele reacts to a Fox News pundit saying Black people will back Trump because “they love sneakers.”
“Why didn't I think of this when I ran the RNC?” jokes Steele. "It's a big miss. And they're ugly as hell." pic.twitter.com/IQRWBeIOVO— All In with Chris Hayes (@allinwithchris) February 23, 2024
The website selling the products, which have an American flag detail on the backs and the letter T on the sides, bills the sneakers as “bold, gold, and tough, just like President Trump.” The site says they have sold out.
It’s just the latest in a series of products and money grabs launched by the former president amid skyrocketing legal fees and fines, which now reportedly exceed half a billion dollars.
