Donald Trump, Nikki Haley take a dig at Ron DeSantis over 'wearing heels, lifts'

NEW DELHI: Amid the ongoing Republican primary campaign, Florida governor Ron DeSantis has been at the center of a peculiar debate over his choice of footwear. Speculation has arisen that DeSantis may be enhancing his stature with the aid of lifts in his boots. Expert bootmakers have weighed in, noting discrepancies in the fit and positioning of his footwear that suggest the possibility of added height.
In an analysis by Politico, three renowned shoemakers have lent their expertise to the discussion, suggesting that the governor might indeed be seeking a subtle increase in stature.Zephan Parker, a bespoke bootmaker from Houston, said, "I’ve dealt with these politicians many times. I’ve helped them with their lifts. [DeSantis] is wearing lifts; there’s no doubt." Parker identified two main indicators: the shorter-than-usual heels on DeSantis's boots, which could be trimmed to accommodate lifts, and the tops of the boots pushing against his trouser legs, implying they may be sized up to fit the lifts.
Graham Ebner, an Austin-based cowboy bootmaker, pointed out irregularities in the instep, toe spring, and the positioning of the ball of the foot in DeSantis's boots. Nicholas Templeman, a London-based shoemaker, observed an unusual wrinkle high up on the boots' shafts, which could indicate an interior wedge lifting the heel, the Politico report said.
However, DeSantis and his team have fervently refuted these claims. The governor maintained in a conversation with podcast host Patrick Bet-David that his boots are simply standard, off-the-shelf Lucchese boots. A spokesperson for DeSantis dismissed the scrutiny as nonsensical, criticizing the media for what they describe as a baseless attack on the governor's integrity.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump and Nikki Haley have taken jabs at fellow Republican Ron DeSantis over rumors that he wears elevated footwear to increase his height. Haley, during an interview with "The Daily Show," humorously entertained the idea of wearing heels herself to outmatch DeSantis in height at an upcoming GOP debate. Trump, not one to shy away from social media commentary, shared images on Truth Social that suggested DeSantis might be wearing footwear with hidden heels.
The banter continued with Trump's political action committee, Make America Great Again Inc, which playfully announced plans to gift DeSantis a pair of boots featuring the Puerto Rican flag, poking fun at his alleged preference for footwear with lifts and his stance on Puerto Rican statehood.
(With inputs from agencies)