Donald Trump‘s administration isn’t all about controversial policies. It also has a strange obsession with a certain physical appearance. From Ivanka Trump to Karoline Leavitt, the MAGA women share the common trend to have ‘THE Mar-a-Lago face’ using plastic surgery, heavy make-up, and cosmetic enhancements.
Take Kristi Noem, for example. In January, the newly appointed Homeland Security Secretary joined an early morning immigration raid in New York. The 53-year-old politician arrived wearing a bulletproof vest and baseball cap. But what couldn’t go unnoticed was her perfect make-up, styled hair and pearl earrings.
Noem delivered a strong message—”We’re getting the dirtbags off these streets.” But her physical appearance gave the vibes of a reality star instead of a government official on a raid. She claimed that it wasn’t meant to be a spectacle, but ironically, her styled appearance echoed the contrary.
Joining @willcain momentarily. Watch! pic.twitter.com/QqTFWu1vTW
— Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) March 10, 2025
This is one of the many instances which prove that physical appearance is a crucial part of Trump administration. Women in Trump’s inner circle are known to have gone under the knife to look a certain way. Through plastic surgeries, cosmetic enhancements and heavy makeup, these women show their loyalty and fit into the inner circle.
There’s no problem with looking good and stylish. In fact, part of Karoline Leavitt‘s job profile requires her to look perfect as she is the face for the Trump administration in the media. But at the same time, it’s difficult to overlook the “over-the-top” and flashy cosmetic work done by MAGA women. A New York plastic surgeon describes the transformations of MAGA women as “overdone” and “ridiculous”, as per Mother Jones.
View this post on Instagram
Even the celebrities choose for more subtle cosmetic work these days but the women in Trump’s inner circle wish to remain committed to the President’s outdated definition of femininity.
The agenda here doesn’t seem to be wanting to look good. In fact, it appears to be more like a political statement where these women want to prove that they belong to Trump’s world and nothing could shake them down. Anne Higonnet, a professor of art history at Barnard College, told Mother Jones, “I read it as a sign of physical submission to Donald Trump, a statement of fealty to him and the idea that the surface of a policy is the only thing that matters. In a way, these women are performing a key part of Donald Trump’s whole political persona.”
Kristi Noem’s transformation is the best example. When it was revealed that she was considered as the Vice President for Trump, she was seen flashing a brand new smile in front of the cameras. A Republican strategist told The New York Times that her new smile was “all about her appeal to an audience of one.”
She didn’t become VP, but landed an important role in the Trump administration. Trump announced that he wanted her face in ads promoting immigration crackdowns. And this explains why she appeared all dolled up during the January raid. As much as she denied it, her presence was more of a promotional move than anything else.
Trump administration’s obsession with a certain physical appearance makes us wonder if power relies on a specific look! The women in the ruling party are following a model of femininity that is extremely polished but also controlled. Ronnee Schreiber, a politics professor at San Diego State University, says that “it’s less about the gaze of one man and more about the broader political meaning of gender.”
Meanwhile, art historian Anne Higonnet believes it to be a form of “submission” to Trump’s leadership, where surface appearance matters more than real skill.
And here comes the irony! Lara Trump and Kimberly Guilfoyle have led ‘women empowerment’ campaigns using feminist language while supporting policies that restrict women’s rights. It’s a kind of “faux feminism,” where beauty is framed as empowerment. Be it their public appearances or social media profiles, everything about them screams of plastic surgeries and cosmetic enhancements.
It’s difficult to assess if following a certain look has a role in Trump’s power play, but there’s no denying the fact that Trump circle isn’t gonna let go of this weird obsession with ‘Mar-a-lago face’ anytime soon!
