Trump Once Totally Changed Up His Hair & Makeup And Was Virtually Unrecognizable

When you think of Donald Trump, a few defining features likely come to mind: yellow comb-over, unflattering suit and tie combination, and, of course, the thickly made-up orange spray tan. This image has become a staple of Trump's public persona since his days on "The Apprentice," so much so that it's practically impossible to picture him any other way. But as unlikely as it seems, there was once a remarkable moment when he ditched his signature schtick, leaving people utterly baffled.

In June 2019, the former president attended McLean Bible Church in Vienna, Virginia following the Virginia Beach mass shooting. Unlike his usual polished, albeit gauche, public appearance, Trump materialized at the scene with a completely different style. His hair was slicked back, a far cry from his typical hairdo, and his face seemed notably free of the lurid fake tan and makeup he's often seen with. He had ditched his usual suit in favor of a more casual golfing outfit and, with his golf shoes still on his feet, hinted that he had come straight from the course to the photo op (via Facebook).

This sudden transformation caught many off guard, with some barely recognizing the ex-POTUS at first glance. While Trump himself never directly addressed his aesthetic deviation, social media lit up with reactions as soon as images surfaced. One YouTube user laughed: "Look! It's a wild cheeto without its cheese dust," while a Facebook user declared, "That is not president Trump."

Trump has been known to defend his distinctive look in the past. When a particularly unflattering photo circulated on Twitter, showing a dramatic contrast between his tan and the pale pink flesh bordering his hairline, he shot back on the platform, asserting: "More Fake News. This was photoshopped, obviously, but the wind was strong and the hair looks good? Anything to demean!" But despite Trump's protests, the claims of image manipulation were debunked when a similar photo was released by Reuters, the press agency whose website states "the editing tool Photoshop can only be used in very limited matters...to format our pictures, crop and size them, and balance the tone and color." As it transpires, Trump's look was (and remains) as fake as his news.