Donald Trump's Former Advisor Declared Him A Style Icon & The Response Was Brutal
The 45th president of the United States has an unquestionably distinctive look. Donald Trump's hair is one of his most famous features, and at least one person claims he considers it essential to his image of unstoppable strength. But is the former commander-in-chief's style the stuff of which legends are made? That depends on who you ask. For instance, Stephen Miller, Trump's former senior advisor, is a vocal fan of his fashion sense. During an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity, the subject turned to a recent New York Times article praising President Joe Biden's dapper look. As seen in this clip posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, Miller opined, "The most stylish president and first lady in our lifetimes are Donald Trump and Melania Trump." Calling the former leader "a style icon," Miller claimed viewers have tried to emulate Trump's fashion sense ever since his days as the host of "The Apprentice."
He confidently declared, "If anyone deserves a puff piece on their sense of style, it's Donald Trump and the first lady." Naturally, the rather outlandish claim was roundly mocked in the comments. "I DEFY you to find me a picture of Trump wearing a suit that fits properly," one dared. "How can a billionaire not afford a tailor?" Another user quickly followed up, "Not to mention his too-long ties because someone lied to Trump and told him long ties were slimming." However, a third commenter begged to differ, hilariously posting a picture of prisoners in orange jumpsuits and reasoning, "Lots of people try and dress like Donald Trump."
The Trumps have made their share of fashion goofs
Apart from Stephen Miller, no one is really jumping to proclaim Donald Trump as a fashion icon. His tastes run toward basic blue suits with a boxy profile. Designer Ezra Paul once theorized that the former president has his suits tailored loosely with extra shoulder padding because "This will make you seem broader than you actually are and hide your waistline," as he claimed in a blog post. Trump pairs his jackets with plain red or blue ties so frequently that when he wore a bold, gold tie to his hush money trial, it received national attention.
His other signature clothing item — the red "Make America Great Again" cap — isn't exactly destined to make the cover of GQ either. Otherwise, the controversial politician's wardrobe tends to get noticed when it stands out in an unflattering way. When Trump and his family traveled to London in 2019 to meet with Queen Elizabeth II and then-Prince Charles, he appeared for dinner in a tuxedo so poorly fitted that Trump looked downright uncomfortable in it. For his all-important inauguration ceremony, meanwhile, the former "Apprentice" host wore a tie so long that one person on X described it as "the CVS receipt of ties."
His wife, former model Melania Trump, presents a much more stylish image. Still, even she has had her missteps, such as wearing a pith helmet — associated with European colonialism — to Africa. It's also a safe bet that her cringey "I Don't Really Care, Do U?" Zara coat, which the former first lady wore to visit detained Mexican children, will never see the light of day again.
Many presidents have endured major fashion don'ts
Donald and Melania Trump aren't the first president and first lady to be called out for their dubious fashion choices; many of their predecessors were, too. Barack Obama caused quite the controversy when he wore a tan suit to give a press briefing in 2014. Critics felt the pale color was better suited to a summer weekend at Martha's Vineyard than a serious discussion on military engagement in Syria. Meanwhile, Michelle Obama strategically wore her hair in a straightened weave for eight years. She felt her natural hair would distract from her husband's administration and project a stereotypical "rebellious Black woman" image. Sadly, only after leaving the White House did the fashionable first lady feel comfortable sporting box braids.
Going back further in history, although John F. Kennedy, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Thomas Jefferson all had rocking wardrobes, other POTUSes could have used a makeover. Woodrow Wilson dressed like the "stern, grimacing minister's son" he was, as Racked put it. James Monroe wore woefully outdated ensembles, Calvin Coolidge was overly formal, Jimmy Carter's folksy cardigan was too drab, and poor William McKinley was just "especially dull." But 45 may yet be remembered for his uniqueness. The Financial Times argued that a style icon is someone with a distinct and unchanging look, who "is confident in their choices and gives off the vibe of not having tried too hard." Sure sounds like Trump to us.