President Donald Trump defended his wife, Melania, for wearing stiletto heels before boarding flights to areas damaged by hurricanes — a choice for which she received “tremendous abuse” from critics.
During an interview with Mike Huckabee on the former GOP presidential candidate new show on the Trinity Broadcast Network, Trump said the first lady wore the stilettos “out of respect for the White House,” adding that she “wants to look good leaving the front entrance.”
The former model was criticized after a picture of her wearing the heels as the Trumps were leaving the White House to visit Houston in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in August.
She changed into sneakers prior to landing in Houston. In similar fashion, she wore stilettos while leaving the White House for a flight to hurricane-damaged Puerto Rico this past week, but changed into work boots prior to landing.
“So she dresses up, and she puts on formal shoes, high heels, and she leaves the White House going to Texas, or going to wherever we want to go — Florida, actually twice,” Trump said.
“So walking through that front door, she did,” the president continued. “Now, she has sneakers in the meantime with her so she can change into other clothing when we’re walking through where a hurricane is just leaving, and she took tremendous abuse.”
Trump’s interview with Huckabee will air Saturday night on the Trinity Broadcasting Network as part of the first episode of the former Arkansas governor’s new show.
Watch Trump’s comments on the shoes in the clip above.