Talking “normal person” expectations at the White House, Vice President J.D. Vance spoke to a visible key expectation of the president to demonstrate that you “respect the institution.”
(Video Credit: Fox News)
Before earnestly diving into a conversation about his new book with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, a mention of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for an apparel anecdote. Specifically, the vice president addressed the unspoken “old-fashioned” dress code expectation from President Donald Trump that he anticipated would earn them both a dig.
Kicking off the latest installment of “Hang Out with Sean Hannity,” the host suggested that his own besuited appearance would be the most he’d ever dress up for the podcast while bragging that he got Vance to take his own tie off.
“And I’m sure the president will watch this show and say, ‘ Why weren’t you wearing a tie,’ to both of us,” asserted the vice president as Hannity brought up Zelenskyy’s February 2025 visit to the White House where his disrespectful behavior in the Oval Office that triggered a fiery exchange was only exacerbated by the decision to show up in his infamous military garb.
“That was not a good moment for him. And it’s funny ’cause things kind of worked out. I think, you know, we were able to repair that relationship,” said Vance as a later visit in August featured the foreign leader earning agreement from the president on a compliment that he looked “fabulous” after arriving in a suit. “I cannot believe it! I love it! Look at that.”
As the vice president explained, “The president has a certain sense that you ought to respect the place, you ought to respect the institution, respect the office. And one of the ways you do that is by dressing like a normal person.”
“And I think that’s — it’s a very old-fashioned thing,” he added while outlining Trump’s appearance, “Well, I mean, he always has — it’s always a navy suit. It’s almost always a solid tie. It’s always black shoes. Like, he’ll bust the chops of some of the cabinet members if they’ve got brown shoes on.”
This led to him sharing a story about how no one within Trump’s inner circle is spared scrutiny — especially not his own son, Donald Trump Jr.
Speaking of a visit to the 9/11 memorial in New York City in 2024, Vance shared how his boss called out the first son’s shirt, “They’re reading out the names. But there’s — at one point, the president turns around and looks at Don Jr. And Don has like, a spread collar on. and the president’s like, ‘Oh, that’s pretty wide collar there, Don.’ And you can tell, like, it just was absolutely a dig. So I’ve always — navy suit, black shoes and a conventional collar.”
As previously covered, The Wall Street Journal released a report in March about the president handing out Florsheim shoes, “The president has taken to guessing people’s shoe size in front of them. He asks an aide to put in an order and, a week later, a brown Florsheim box arrives at the White House. Trump sometimes signs the box or attaches a note of gratitude, according to people familiar with the ritual.”
He himself told Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade in an interview, “When they tell me they have a problem, I say, ‘Let me get you a pair of shoes.'”
Those shoes became a topic of conversation earlier this month as Secretary of State Marco Rubio called out California Rep. Sara Jacobs (D), who took time during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing to bring up the Florsheims he’d been gifted.
“We’re talking about shoes. Are you guys kidding me? I mean, is this the Foreign Affairs Committee, or is this like a circus? What is this?” said Rubio.
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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