Karoline Leavitt has spilled the beans on another odd habit of her boss. When it comes to his appearance, Donald Trump often resorts to extreme methods, such as the greasy bronzer he often uses, which gives his face a bizarre skin tone, never seen on an actual human being. And then there’s the height exaggeration — pretty embarrassing on its own. However, this new revelation might just take the crown.
Rumors have swirled online for years that Donald Trump has a bad body odor and he covers it up with extreme usage of perfumes and colognes. This rumor was accelerated when the POTUS met with Ahmed al-Sharaa on November 11. The meeting itself made headlines for various reasons, especially the Syrian President’s history as a foreign terrorist declared by the U.S. intelligence. Before he ascended the throne as Syria’s unelected leader, he had a $10 million bounty on his head.
Some bizarre stuff going down in the Oval these days. After spraying the Syrian president with his Trump Fragrance he then asks him how many wives he has. pic.twitter.com/S0ywlUy7Fz
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) November 12, 2025
So, Trump meeting him at the White House came as a shock to many Americans. The confusion and bafflement only grew further when the Republican POTUS took the opportunity to spritz a few sprays of a floral fragrance on the Syrian President. This bizarre interaction quickly went viral on social media, and many couldn’t believe what they were witnessing. However, Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s White House Press Secretary, offered an explanation.
According to her, it “happens all the time.” During an appearance on the Pod Force One podcast, Leavitt was asked by the host, “The Syrian President came in, and Trump sprayed perfume all over him. Did he smell?”
In response, the press secretary said, “That happens all the time. Not just with the Syrian President, but I’ve seen it with other foreign leaders. I’ve seen it with members of the cabinet, myself.” Leavitt added, “He’s just showing off his wonderful scents!”
Host: The Syrian president came in, and Trump sprayed perfume all over him. Did he smell?
Leavitt: That happens all the time. Not just with the Syrian president, but I’ve seen it with other foreign leaders. I’ve seen it with cabinet members, myself. He has a cologne and a… pic.twitter.com/lWwvRN8tce
— FactPost (@factpostnews) November 19, 2025
Despite her explanation, many have their doubts about whether Donald Trump is just trying to “cover up” his own body odor. On X (formerly Twitter), critics shared their own theories about why the POTUS is keen on spraying perfume on others. “I heard people joking that Trump has strong body odor. Maybe he is catching his own scent and assuming it is someone else, which could be why he keeps spraying perfume at men,” wrote one.
Another added, “Tell me that Trump tried to cover up his stench with performative perfumery without telling me he stinks.” A third echoed, “You realize it’s to mask Trump’s smell, not the guests.” Another user shared a collage of a few moments where others around Trump could be seen covering up their noses, echoing the same theory shared by other critics.
