President Donald Trump is a man who has always placed great importance on looks. He has commented on the looks of people he likes and people he doesn’t like. How one dresses and how they appear holds a lot of importance to Trump, and he places a great deal of value on the optics of those who surround him.
With such rhetoric, it is obvious that he also becomes the target of scrutiny and is then judged based on how he looks and what he wears.
However, based on public perception, it is safe to say that Donald Trump has failed this test of intense scrutiny many times. People online have not reacted kindly to his bad tan job, foundation on his hand and now his hair.
After his orange hued foundation, the public attention is now on his thinning hair which once again become a major talking point. At the 2025 Ryder Cup, Trump was seen without his trademark red MAGA cap. This allowed viewers a clearer view of his receding hairline and bald spots. That visibility has reignited speculation about his severe hair loss and public image.
js reminding you, this is trump’s hairline pic.twitter.com/bhsCZd2Wte
— Garfiend | SBR LET’S FUCKING GOOOOOOOOOO (@garfieng) September 23, 2025
In recent years, Donald Trump is increasingly seen with his signature campaign red hat. If not that hat, he is seen with extensive comb-overs to hide what are now visible bald spots. But these techniques have not always been successful because commentators and media outlets have repeatedly captured moments where Trump has been unable to hide patches of scalp.
An article by NickiSwift recently highlighted his appearance at the Kennedy Center and stated that a “chunky bald spot” was difficult to miss. Similarly, another feature described a moment when his “gigantic bald spot sneaks out” under bright lighting.
Trump is very self aware of his hair loss and seems to have taken this in a good spirit. He himself has addressed the hair commentary, quite a few times.
On occasion, he has also joked about his efforts to conceal thinning. “I try like [-] to hide that bald spot, folks,” he said.
Fallon: “Can I mess your hair up?”
Trump: “The answer is yes” https://t.co/kBW5XH8MGR pic.twitter.com/KZ7WgI8GtD
— CNN (@CNN) September 16, 2016
And when there was a rumor that he was wearing a hairpiece, he famously let Jimmy Fallon ruffle his hair on his late-night show, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Celebrities and public figures are often scrutinized and judged for their looks. It does not happen so often in politics given that they are essentially public servants, and just a degree of decorum and well-dressed optics is expected. However, ever since Trump has entered politics, he has made it his mission to comment on people and then he becomes the centre of similar commentary.
His emphasis on a celebrity-like status for himself has caused him to be under the microscope of public perception. In Trump’s case, his hair has long been a visual trademark. Any sign of deterioration is magnified under public and media attention.
Moreover, in the age of social media, images and short video clips spread rapidly. A hair mishap or a bald spot caught at the wrong angle can fuel memes, commentaries, and headlines overnight.
