People are burning their New Balance sneakers over a statement from the company about President-elect Donald Trump.
On Wednesday, The Wall Street Journal's Sarah Germano tweeted the following quote from Matt LeBretton, New Balance's vice president of public affairs:
Some interpreted this as an endorsement of Trump and turned to social media to express their outrage. Videos showed people throwing New Balance shoes in the trash and setting sneakers on fire.
LeBretton later clarified to Buzzfeed that the statement was meant to be taken solely in the context of trade, and with relation to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, specifically. He said the company is not interested in “getting involved in the politics of presidential elections.”
The company has publicly opposed the TPP agreement, which would lower tariffs to encourage trade between the US and certain Asian countries. New Balance is one of the few US sneaker companies that still makes its sneakers — around 25% at last count, according to the Wall Street Journal — in the US, though the ratio has dwindled as it has ramped up production in China and Vietnam.