Donald Trump's Latest Outing Sparks Concern About His Appearance

Donald Trump seems poised to win big in the Iowa caucuses, according to The Hill, but when he sauntered through the doors of the Hotel Fort Des Moines, some critics didn't see a powerful victor; instead, they found his somewhat disheveled appearance unusual and concerning.

President Trump walks into the Hotel Fort Des Moines where I happen to also be staying. Trump: “That’s a lot of cold weather. We have a lot of meetings tonight, a lot of tremendous support, but it’s nasty out there.” Cc: @dcexaminer pic.twitter.com/B3obeiVxhK

— Samantha-Jo Roth (@SamanthaJoRoth) January 14, 2024

While Trump has been criticized for wearing ill-fitting suits, his appearance has always been of the utmost importance to him. In a 2008 interview with Esquire, he explained why he almost exclusively wears suits. "Looking one's best is good for confidence. High self-esteem is important for effective performance," he said. "Dressing well is also a sign of respect, for yourself and for others." 

Then there's Trump's distinctive yellow hair. In his book, "Trump: How to Get Rich," he admits to dyeing it to achieve that unusual hue — which is apparently not the shade of blond he desires. "Somehow the color never looks great, but what the hell, I just don't like gray hair," he wrote. At the 2018 Conservative Political Action Conference, he also confessed that a lot of elbow grease goes into keeping his bald spot covered up with his sculpted combover, per CNN. "It doesn't look bad," he assured himself. And when he walked into Hotel Fort Des Moines and saw members of the media waiting there, his hands immediately flew up to his hair.

In a video shared by reporter Samantha-Jo Roth on X, formerly known as Twitter, Donald Trump's hair blows up in the air as soon as he walks inside the hotel. After he tries to smooth it back down, he comments on the freezing weather, and stops to briefly boast about his "tremendous support." Some X users noticed something was wrong with his gait; he appeared to be stepping awkwardly with his right foot. "Don't confuse his stagger for swagger," one person wrote. Others believed he looked ill and exhausted. "A tired old man. He sure has a lot less stamina than Biden appears to have," another tweet read.

Other commenters observed that Trump's outfit choice was unusual for him. He was wearing a black overcoat and a white shirt with the top buttons left undone. This made it glaringly obvious that something was missing. "The very rare Trump sighting without wearing a tie. (besides golfing)," one person tweeted. Trump's long ties are usually a key part of his busy businessman uniform. In a 2005 appearance on "The Howard Stern Show," he revealed that he had even swapped red ties for pink ones after having an especially rough day at the office while wearing the color that's so closely associated with the Republican Party. With all of his ongoing legal issues, and the GOP primary season starting, perhaps he's decided to make another style switch in hopes of improving his fortunes?