REUTERS/David Dee Delgado
Donald Trump’s apparent baldness has become a trending topic on social media following the circulation of a photo taken aboard a private jet. The image, which shows Trump sharing a McDonald’s meal with Elon Musk, Donald Trump Jr., House Speaker Mike Johnson, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., was posted by Dima Zeniuk, reportedly an employee of Musk. It prominently highlights the front of Trump’s head, igniting a wave of online reactions.
A zoomed-in close-up of the photo shared on X (formerly Twitter) quickly went viral. While Trump supporters dismissed the image as either edited or poorly lit, many others seized the opportunity for humor. One user quipped, “He forgot to comb over his 17 strands,” while another joked, “Hair has left the room.” A particularly creative response likened the moment to MSN: “Omg…this is like when we first saw Darth Vader without his mask.”
The scrutiny over Trump’s hair isn’t new. Just days earlier, Trump interrupted his own rally in Salem, Virginia, on November 2, after noticing his reflection on a screen. Addressing what he called a “bad hair day,” he exclaimed, “Oh sh–. Look, I am looking at the back of my head. What the h—. This is not good.” His candid admission added to the long history of public fascination with his hair.
Back in 2018, a viral video captured Trump’s hair being ruffled by the wind as he boarded Air Force One, revealing a bald spot that sparked speculation about potential hair transplants. Hair restoration expert Dr. Alan Bauman weighed in, telling The Guardian: “In my professional opinion, I do believe he has had some previous hair transplantation to the frontal part of his hairline.” Dr. Bauman also suggested Trump might use hair growth supplements and laser therapy to maintain his signature look.
Trump’s spending on hairstyling has also drawn attention. A 2020 New York Times report revealed that his production company had deducted over $70,000 in hairstyling costs during his tenure on The Apprentice. This covered cuts, blow-dries, and coloring.
Despite the constant scrutiny, Trump seems unfazed. At a September event, he joked that there was nothing he could change about his hair, telling the crowd they were “stuck with it.” Spotting a lookalike in the audience, he quipped, “What a nice-looking man…Oh, it’s Trump. What a wonderful-looking person.” For Trump, his hair remains a defining—and divisive—part of his public persona.
