Donald Trump and his makeup fails are truly a never-ending love story. This time, it was front and center at a high-stakes White House lunch with African leaders, where the President’s deep bronze look had social media doing double takes.
He’s always been known to favor the TV-ready orange hue, but on Wednesday afternoon, viewers were especially distracted by just how dark he went for the cameras. Sitting at a long table in Washington, D.C. with heads of state from several African nations, Trump’s complexion was, let’s just say, hard to miss.
“Trump’s complexion is especially jarring when you see him next to other humans,” one person wrote on X. Another remarked, “I dont know what look he’s going after at this point. Sun-kissed is not this.” A third comment read, “Trumps makeup artist hates Trump.”
Tell me how you sit across from this in a meeting without laughing. Does he think he looks good??? He seriously needs a drag queen to give him makeup lessons. @POTUS pic.twitter.com/0lLSIhFjY8
— MS Queen (@MSGal75) July 8, 2025
The hilarious reactions didn’t stop here. Another post on X read, “Tip for MAGA: You, too, can have the same ‘healthy glow’ as Trump— in just 2 simple steps. Down in the holler, buy a tin of brown shoe polish. Then, apply it to your face while sitting in the dark. People will ask if you’ve been playing golf, or have been exposed to radiation.”
Another user commented, “Trump’s makeup person is not his friend, got him out here looking like a clown.”
Trump’s love affair with bronzer and heavy foundation has been meme gold for years. Who can forget those classic photos where his face is a bright tangerine hue while his eyes remain suspiciously white, thanks to what the internet lovingly dubbed the “raccoon tan” effect? At rallies and press conferences, that telltale orange glow became so consistent it basically needed its own Secret Service detail.
Then there was the time he left everyone buzzing after an official portrait with a shade so deep it looked like he’d lost a fight with a can of spray tan. Social media users have long had a field day speculating whether he applies it himself with a Home Depot roller or has a makeup artist with a personal vendetta.
Even Trump has joked about it, once telling supporters, “I don’t like the light. It makes me look orange.” But if there’s one thing for certain, his commitment to the look is unwavering, even if it guarantees he’ll trend on Twitter for all the wrong reasons.
Despite the face paint distraction, Trump’s meeting with African leaders was meant to be serious business. He hosted presidents from just five countries, Mauritania, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Senegal, and Gabon — to talk trade partnerships and tighter diplomatic ties. But big players like South Africa and Nigeria weren’t invited because they’re part of the BRICS group, which the U.S. sees as challenging its influence.
Experts say the real motive is countering China’s growing presence in Africa and securing resources like rare earth minerals. As Cameron Hudson put it, “The U.S. has been watching Chinese interest very closely,” while Professor David Okoye summed up Trump’s approach: “Trump is transactional — he wants to know what these nations can offer.”
INTERNATIONAL COSMETICS NEWS
US President Donald J Trump’s WH makeup artist experiments with revolutionary new stucco finish appliqué. pic.twitter.com/2OqHoo55mN
— Free Belarus News (Eng.) (@BelarusMiniInfo) July 8, 2025
But for all the high-level negotiations and the talk of forging new partnerships, it was Trump’s spray-tanned glow that ended up stealing the show. As one commenter put it best: “Get a new makeup artist.”
