A viral video of President-elect Donald Trump at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, has reignited a familiar debate: what’s going on with Trump’s hair? The footage, which surfaced earlier this week, shows Trump greeting a crowd of enthusiastic supporters, but it wasn’t the roaring applause that caught the internet’s attention. Instead, all eyes turned to his apparent “new” hairstyle.
Trump’s hairdo: A case of “Hat Hair”?
Clips of the President-elect’s appearance were quickly shared by his supporters on social media, many hailing his latest look as a “makeover.” However, seasoned observers of Trump’s iconic bouffant were struck with a sense of déjà vu, recalling a similar hair transformation during his first term in office.
The speculation this week mirrors the online frenzy of June 2019, when Trump unveiled a flatter, slicked-back hairstyle at an unannounced stop at McLean Bible Church in Vienna, Virginia.
Back then, he was en route to meet the Queen during his first state visit to the United Kingdom. Social media users at the time attributed the unfamiliar look to “hat hair” or “golf hair,” with one commenter noting, “Trump’s hat hair is so weird specifically because it looks way, way more normal than his regular look.”
This week, Trump was again seen holding a red baseball cap in one hand during his public appearance, fueling speculation that his latest hairstyle might also be the result of his signature headwear.
Social Media Reacts: A pop culture parade of comparisons
As in 2019, social media erupted with commentary, humor, and pop culture comparisons to Trump’s seemingly altered hairstyle. Some users were reminded of Michael Douglas’s Gordon Gekko from Wall Street, while others drew parallels to Biff Tannen from Back to the Future.
A few observers even compared the look to Patrick Bateman from American Psycho, Jon Voight, and Dennis Hopper in the Super Mario Bros. movie. The online conversation revealed one clear consensus: Trump’s hair has an enduring ability to captivate and entertain, regardless of whether the change is intentional or incidental.
Trump’s signature yellow bouffant has been a defining feature of his public persona for decades, often attracting as much attention as his policies and rhetoric. The latest hair moment reinforces the role of Trump’s appearance in shaping his image, particularly among his loyal base.
While the exact cause of his hairstyle shift remains unconfirmed, the discussion serves as a reminder of how even the smallest details about public figures can dominate headlines and social media. Whether it’s a deliberate makeover or just “hat hair,” one thing is clear: Donald Trump’s hair will always be a subject of fascination.