Donald Trump has a new do. And the internet noticed.
A Michael Solakiewicz (@michaelsolakie) video showing the president-elect with slicked hair was posted and shared by X user @bennyjohnson Tuesday, Dec. 17, on the social platform formerly known as Twitter. Less than a day later, the post had 1 million views and almost 27,000 likes. Parody accounts on X that are devoted to − and named after − Trump’s hair weighed in on the conversation.
The verdict? Most seemed to approve of the former president’s hairstyle.
The comments about Donald Trump’s hair sparked a conversation, jokes and memes: The hairstyle, the color, the famous combover, rumors of a toupee or hair extensions, and the resurrection of the bald spot controversy. Many X users were wondering:
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Did Donald Trump have a hair transplant?
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Why the combover, Donald Trump?
Detail of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s hair as he signs autographs after a campaign rally at the Gerald W. Kirn Middle School on January 31, 2016, in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Trump and other presidential hopefuls were in Iowa trying to gain support and crucial votes for the caucuses. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
For as long as Trump has been in the media spotlight, his hair has been a topic of conversation. It was long and a darker shade in the 1980s. In some photos, it’s thick and luxurious. In others, it’s thinning. When there’s video of Trump’s hair being windblown, it’s a pop culture moment that generates commentary. The type of color has come up over the years as well − when he was younger, it was brownish-red or a strawberry blond. Lately, it seems the former president favors a straw-colored blond with hints of gray.
Why the obsession over the former president’s hair? History has seen a haircut or hairstyle make waves and impact copycats. Take, for instance, these classic cuts:
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Jennifer Aniston’s “The Rachel” from “Friends”
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Justin Bieber’s “Bieber do”
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Princess Diana’s change from short hair to pixie
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Keri Russell’s long and curly “Felicity” locks to a shocking pixie
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Hugh Jackman’s mutton chops and “Wolverine” hairstyle
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Farrah Fawcett’s “Charlie’s Angels” feather layers
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Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Achy Breaky Heart” mullet
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Sinead O’Connor’s near-bald buzz cut
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Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi’s signature bump or pouf from “Jersey Shore”
In this story about “Trump hair,” we revisit memorable moments about The Donald’s do, why the hair on his head has had its own viral spotlight, and its effect in pop culture.
Photos of Donald Trump’s hair over the years
In February and April 2018, Luke Trump, then a bouncing blond baby boy, got props for his unique baby hairstyle: The Donald. His mother, Lara Trump, posted several photos and video of baby Luke on Instagram. His father, Eric Trump, shared photos of baby Luke’s hair on Twitter.
Baby Luke’s “Donald Trump hairstyle” continued till he was a toddler.
In 2016, Donald Trump was a guest on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.” During their chat, Fallon asked the then-presidential candidate if he could muss up his hair. Donald Trump reluctantly agreed. Fallon then proceeds to really rub his head, and Donald Trump’s hairpiece reveals that he’s bald.
The video clip went viral. But later, Fallon came under fire for not asking Donald Trump tougher questions ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
Things between the pair escalated on June 19, 2018, when a Hollywood Reporter interview with Fallon was published. In the story, the comedian said the public ganged up on him after the “hair tussle” during Trump’s 2016 campaign.
Trump took his grievances to Twitter (at the time, the social platform was called Twitter and not X). On June 24, 2018, Trump tweeted: “.@jimmyfallon is now whimpering to all that he did the famous ‘hair show’ with me (where he seriously messed up my hair), & that he would have now done it differently because it is said to have ‘humanized’ me-he is taking heat. He called & said ‘monster ratings.’ Be a man Jimmy!”
Hours later, the “Tonight Show” host fired back with a tweet of his own: “In honor of the President’s tweet I’ll be making a donation to RAICES in his name.”
RAICES is a pro-immigrant nonprofit and at the time its campaign, “Reunite an Immigrant Parent with their Child,” had raised more than $20 million, aimed at reuniting parents and children who had been separated after crossing the border.
Is Donald Trump bald? Did Trump have a hair transplant or scalp reduction surgery?
Former U.S. President and current Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump watches a video shown to supporters inside the Bayfront Convention Center in Erie on Sept. 29, 2024.
In certain photos and video clips, particularly on a windy day, Donald Trump’s hair has revealed a bald spot or possible hairpiece on top covering it. It’s likely why he uses the combover.
According to divorce papers filed by his first wife, the late Ivana Trump, Donald Trump underwent scalp reduction surgery in 1989. The procedure was apparently botched and recounted in the 1993 biography “Lost Tycoon: The Many Lives of Donald J. Trump.”
The book by Harry Hurt III looks at the fortunes and misfortunes of the multimillionaire, “using untapped family sources to describe Trump’s dealing with political fixers and contractors, his ties to organized crime, his personal life, and his financial situation,” its bio states.
Who plays Donald Trump in ‘The Apprentice’ movie?
Actor Sebastian Stan, best known for playing Bucky in Marvel’s “Captain America” and “The Avengers” films, took on the iconic role of a young Donald Trump for Ali Abassi’s film “The Apprentice.”
In October 2024, Vanity Fair said, “the Donald Trump biopic ‘The Apprentice’ is gorier and more gruesome than you’d expect for a film about a former president.” The magazine likens Stan’s performance to Frankenstein − the gore comes from the plastic surgery/botched scalp reduction scene and the sexual assault on the Ivana Trump character.
Movie review: ‘The Apprentice’ is a simplistic Trump origin story — one monster making another
Dog in World’s Ugliest Dog contest goes viral for its Donald Trump hair
It’s not a wig on a dog. Shown in this September 2016 photo is Himisaboo, a 9-year-old dachshund and Chinese crested mix that was featured on national television for having “Donald Trump’s hair.”
In 2016, Himisaboo, a 9-year-old dachshund and Chinese crested mix, got media attention for having “Donald Trump’s hair.” Chinese crested dogs are a hairless breed, but some tend to have tufts of hair on their head or other parts of their body. Their unique look makes them a good contender in various dog contests. Himisaboo, the “Trump hairstyle dog,” eventually competed in the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest in 2019 in California, but lost to Scamp the Tramp.
Trump’s slicked hair goes viral on X (aka Twitter)
On Dec. 17, 2024, just over a month before Donald Trump’s second Inauguration Day (Jan. 20, 2025), the president-elect was seen with slicked back hair. Social media definitely noticed.
Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Trump hair transplant? Bald spot? A wig? Why his mop has social buzz
