Nike, Adidas and other footwear giants ask Trump for tariff exemption

America’s largest shoe brands are asking President Donald Trump for a tariff reprieve. The Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America trade group sent a letter to the White House this week asking for an exemption to Trump’s so-called “reciprocal tariffs,” which the association said pose an “existential threat” to the footwear industry. The letter is signed by 76 footwear brands, including Nike , Adidas , Skechers and Under Armour . “Many companies making affordable footwear for hardworking lower and middle-income families cannot absorb tariff rates this high, nor can they pass along these costs. Without immediate relief from the reciprocal…