Although a politician’s choice in footwear is not typically a serious matter for discussion during a presidential campaign, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has faced mounting speculation in recent months that his boots contain lifts meant to make him appear taller.
He was pressed on the matter during a podcast interview with host Patrick Bet David and claimed that he wore “standard, off-the-rack Lucchese boots.”
The controversy gained even more traction when a trio of experts indicated that they saw evidence of lifts in the governor’s boots.
Front-runner Donald Trump has added to the narrative on multiple occasions, most recently during a Breitbart News interview during which he ridiculed DeSantis’ gait.
“Did you see him walk off the stage in the last debate?” the former president asked. “He could barely walk. I’m a little bit surprised he continues to do it because he had trouble as he walked off the stage in the last debate.”
With the fifth GOP presidential primary debate just days away, Trump — who will once again be skipping the event — suggested that other candidates on stage could use the issue to their benefit.
“Somebody is going to say to him, ‘Take off those shoes, we want to see if they’re high heels’” he continued. “He’s going to have no choice but to do it if you had a really good debater. That’s what they’d do because he tries to pretend it doesn’t happen. He walks like a duck.”
During a campaign rally in November, Trump jabbed his rival for nearly taking a tumble during a previous debate.
President Trump mocks Ron DeSanctimonious for stumbling on the debate stage in his high heels. pic.twitter.com/JJlvDU9HAc
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) November 11, 2023
The Trump campaign issued an October press release declaring “#BOOTGATE” to be the “KISS OF DEATH” for DeSantis’ White House ambitions.
“Instead of telling the truth and just being comfortable in his own skin, he resorts to borderline psychotic behavior by lying to the American people,” the statement added. “Is that what this country wants in a President?”
Former Trump campaign spokesperson Marc Lotter also sounded off on the impact of the situation, asking: “Who would have thought the primary battle for a distant second place would be who wears higher heels: Nikki Haley or Ron DeSantis?”
