Former President Donald Trump made waves recently with the release of his own line of footwear headlined by shiny gold high-tops that quickly sold out at $399 a pair.
That limited-edition shoe, along with other products like his Victory-brand cologne and perfume, are sold through a business called Trump Sneakers, which has a significant Wyoming connection.
Trump Sneakers launched in February and were an instant internet sensation.
Wyoming Connections
Trump Sneakers are licensed under the business name 45Footwear LLC, a limited liability corporation registered in Wyoming.
The business registration for 45Footwear LLC was filed with the Wyoming Secretary of State’s office on Jan. 31, less than three weeks before the sneaker line was launched.
The registered agent for the company is Andrew Pierce, a Sheridan paralegal for Wyoming Trust and LLC, also known as the Cloud Peak Law Group. Pierce was not immediately available for comment when contacted by Cowboy State Daily on Monday.
The law firm claims to have set up more than 5,000 LLCs for clients. The address listed in the filing for 45Footwear LLC matches the Cloud Peak business address.
Sheridan is home to a variety of shell corporations and anonymous mailing services, some of which have been suspected of fraud by local officials. There is no evidence of any fraudulent connection to Trump Sneakers.
Pierce moved to Wyoming from the Caribbean for the Cowboy State’s business-friendly LLC laws, according to his profile with the company.
According to Intelligencer, Trump didn’t shed much light on who was helping him with the sneakers, saying only during a launch party in February that, “I have some incredible people that work with me on things, and they came up with this. … And I think it’s gonna be a big success.”
Cowboy Cocktails
Wyoming has notoriously opaque trust laws that allow anyone to anonymously register an LLC in Wyoming for about $100. Importantly, Wyoming allows registered agents like Pierce to serve as the public point of contact for LLCs to keep their ownership anonymous.
Reuters reported in December that it had uncovered a number of shell companies operated by cybercriminals that had been registered by LLC-registration businesses in Sheridan.
Last August, anti-ransomware firm Halcyon accused an Iran-linked internet company called Cloudzy of providing services to "a rogue's gallery" of digital spies and cybercriminals, in part through Sheridan-based RouterHosting LLC. RouterHousing was set up with the help of Cloud Peak.
Secretary of State Chuck Gray has said he’s interested in establishing stricter trust laws, but the Legislature has made little progress on this issue.
Also in 2023, a Wyoming company registered to a string of Cheyenne-based LLCs rejected accusations that it was serving as a front for a company selling digital trading cards featuring Trump as various icons and heroes.
The Sneakers
The Trump Sneakers come in three models, the $399 gold “Never Surrender” high-tops, the $199 “T-Red Wave” and the $199 “POTUS 45.”
The Never Surrenders, a gold-colored high-top shoe that sold out nearly instantly, is described on the official website as “bold, gold and tough, just like President Trump.” Only 1,000 pairs of this “collector’s item” were made, but pre-orders are being accepted for another run at $399 a pair.
According to GetTrumpSneakers.com, Trump Sneakers are “made to order” and “are expected to start shipping July 2024 for the gold high-tops, and the POTUS 45 white knit and Red Wave knit are expected to ship in August 2024.”
This timing aligns with the heart of the upcoming campaign trail between the presumed presidential nominees Trump and President Joe Biden.
Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.
