Why Donald Trump's New Look Has People Talking

Even before Donald Trump became president, his physical appearance was a conversation topic, as people questioned his spray tan and wondered whether or not he wore a toupee. Early last year, more buzz started up as he was seen with silver hair. Was he trying to look more distinguished? Had he not been able to visit a hair salon during the pandemic? Was it, as historian Alexis Coe suggested to Vogue, a "kind of manipulation of the American public in which he is attempting to show citizens that he is suffering as well?" Or was the stress finally getting to him?

Onlookers love to compare Trump to his predecessor, Barack Obama, whose un-dyed hair began going gray only about 40 days into his first term as president (via HuffPost). However, Obama and Trump are not nearly the only presidents to have their appearances examined with intense scrutiny. Americans frequently compare photos of each president in the first year on the job and the last, and often comment on how the presidency can age a person like nothing else. But now that Trump has been out of office for awhile, he has another new look, which is causing yet another stir.

According to Business Insider, former president Donald Trump has lost around 15 to 20 pounds and is skipping out on his signature spray tan and bleached highlights. Multiple advisers offered Business Insider the details. "He was eating all those M&Ms on [Air Force One] all the time," said one adviser who has been with Trump since he left Washington. "He's a big man with a big frame, and he's lost a lot of weight. I can't tell you how much, but it's a lot. You can see it in his suits."

Other advisers suggested that the weight loss was due in part to Trump's extra time on the golf course, and said that "guests frequently comment about how good he's looking," according to Yahoo. "I think there's something to be said about no longer having the weight of the free world on your shoulders," another advisor commented.

Once again, people are wondering about the how and why of Trump's new appearance. Is he preparing to run again in 2024? Did it simply seem like it was time for a change? Or has his health improved, without the stressors that come from being the president of the United States? One thing is for certain: Trump wants to be back in the public eye. Many outlets have pointed out that his advisors have worked hard to publicize his new look.

Ever since Donald Trump left the White House, his allies have given steady reports on how he's doing. The Washington Post noted in May of this year that a variety of Republicans visited Trump in his Mar-a-Lago home and reported back on how well the former president seemed to be despite his loss. "I noticed he was a lot more relaxed than [during] his four years in the White House," House Minority Whip Steve Scalise said after his visit in February.

Senator Ted Cruz had similar things to say after his May visit. "Had a great dinner tonight with President Trump at Mar-a-Lago," he tweeted. "He's in great spirits! We spent the evening talking about working together to re-take the House [and] Senate in 2022." Even during Trump's impeachment trial in February, a number of his allies, including Senator Lindsey Graham, commented on the former president's good spirits despite it all.

Now, recent pictures of Trump have once again sparked the conversation on his good mood and improved look. Two days ago, Donald Trump Jr. posted a photo of his father on Instagram, which read, "He got younger." The caption said, "There's some truth to this. He takes the stress and it fuels him, and in all fairness he took more crap than any other president times about 1000. Others can't handle it, and they age 20 years overnight."

Though Donald Trump's new appearance may be a signal that he intends to run for president in 2024, not everyone in his close circle would be on board. That includes his wife, Melania Trump. CNN recently reported that the former first lady is working hard to stay out of the spotlight. In fact, she was spotted publicly just once the entire summer in July.

Several anonymous sources told CNN that Melania Trump will not play any part in boosting her husband's public image, especially if it would help his reelection. She reportedly has no desire to return to the White House in her former leading role. "Being first lady again is not what she wants," one source said. "For her, it was a chapter — and it's over, and that's that."

Melania Trump's absence from a 2024 campaign would not be the worst thing in the eyes of Trump's allies. As pointed out by She Knows, Trump's fan base is already used to seeing Trump on his own without his wife. The lack of her presence on a new campaign trail may not affect Trump's chances in the way that many people thought.