GOP Political Stars Who Went Overboard With Cosmetic Procedures

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The Grand Old Party, otherwise known as the Republicans, has been churning out politicians and political stars since the mid-19th century, and it's evolved considerably over the years. What began with the election of President Abraham Lincoln in 1860 continued with such dignitaries as Theodore Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, and, more recently, Donald J. Trump. The people who surround Trump, including the man himself, have an interesting proclivity toward plastic surgery.

If you look at some of the leading players of the GOP and the people closest to them, it's apparent to anyone with eyes that they've had something modified. While this isn't necessarily unusual for celebrities in the public eye with money to spare, many on the political right have taken things a bit too far. Some people aren't recognizable as themselves any longer, while others have become known for their new signature looks. It's different for each person, and not everyone has jumped on the cosmetic procedure bandwagon.

All this is to say that there's nothing wrong with getting plastic surgery if it's something a person needs to make them feel better about themselves. Millions of people have various procedures all the time, and that's perfectly okay. The problem is when plastic surgery becomes a crutch and a person goes overboard with procedures far beyond what they should. Here are some GOP political stars who have taken it too far.

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If there's one thing that's universally agreed upon, it's that Donald Trump has a signature hairstyle. People have speculated on the nature of his hair, pointing out some balding when the wind catches it just right. While his hair is certainly an interesting aspect of his appearance, and he's most certainly had work done around it, it's not the only cosmetic procedure he's had done over the years. According to plastic surgeon Dr. Motykie, Trump looks to have gotten veneers over his teeth, which he estimated to the Daily Mail cost around $80,000.

That's all good for The Donald, but it's hard to argue that his teeth overshadow his hair. Another plastic surgeon, Dr. Elie Levine, told The Washington Post that Trump likely got a procedure called scalp reduction surgery. This is done to remove bald spots by taking "flaps of scalp containing hair are basically stretched and sewn into place to move hair around the head." This type of procedure often results in odd hairstyle patterns.

The patient must style their hair in an unusual manner to accommodate their new scalp. Trump has never spoken about whether or not he's had any work done, so this is all speculation, but it's done by professionals in the field. If they're correct, Trump probably dropped around $80,000 for his scalp reduction surgery. If the surgeons' analysis is correct, it would certainly explain why Trump's hair is so unusual in appearance.

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Kimberly Guilfoyle started working as an attorney and was married to California Governor Gavin Newsom, but these days, she's engaged to Donald Trump Jr. She also worked for Fox News and has had a public image for decades. As Trump Jr.'s fiancée, she's put herself at the forefront of GOP politics by speaking at rallies and other events in support of former President Donald Trump. It's clear that she has had some work done over the years, as Guilfoyle looks very different from how she appeared in old modeling shots taken decades ago.

Guilfoyle hasn't spoken about any procedures she's had, but there's a wide consensus that she's had some bits nipped and tucked. When she criticized Representative Nancy Pelosi for purported plastic surgery, she was quickly lambasted online, with some calling Guilfoyle "Plastic Woman" on X, formerly known as Twitter, in response. Despite her accusations, it's apparent Guilfoyle isn't unfamiliar with cosmetic procedures, and Dr. Motykie has weighed in about what she may had done.

It's possible Guilfoyle had cheek filler at least once in the past. While she had plump lips during her modeling days, she likely had lip filler as well due to natural thinning as she aged. The doctor noted that Guilfoyle's age and apparent weight loss don't seem to have communicated any changes to her face, which appears unnatural. It's likely she also had veneers implanted, and her filler may be applied annually to keep her appearance looking static.

Laura Loomer is one of those political actors on the right who offends nearly everyone, regardless of political persuasion. She's a two-time failed Florida GOP congressional candidate, and Loomer's a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump. She became close to his campaign in the latter months of the 2024 Presidential Campaign, which brought negative attention Trump's way. Regardless, she remains outspoken and often says or posts things online that many have claimed to be racist and inappropriate for polite society.

In terms of her appearance, Loomer has changed the way she looks so much that you wouldn't recognize her current and former self as being the same person. This is apparent to many who see her, as one user posted on X in September 2024:

Laura loomer's evolution from an average looking human to Jigsaw has to be one of the craziest things I've ever seen pic.twitter.com/SOa1gdjIrG

— Czarina (@fishontherun2) September 11, 2024

Insult aside, there's no denying that Loomer has modified her appearance via cosmetic procedures. In addition to changing her hair color and style, Loomer had a rhinoplasty in July 2017. She wasn't quiet about it either, posting on Instagram at the time, "I am so excited for my nose job!!" (via Forward).

Loomer hasn't discussed other procedures she's had done, but there are plenty of people speculating online. Her rhinoplasty arguably improved her appearance, but she likely didn't stop there. She's probably had lip fillers and a facelift, and her jawline looks reshaped. Put these together, and Loomer has gone under the knife and needle too often to appear natural.

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Lara Trump worked in television but is associated with GOP politics via her husband, Eric Trump. More than that, former President Donald Trump effectively installed his daughter-in-law as a co-chair of the GOP, and she's been outspoken about making changes to the organization to align with the Trump campaign for the 2024 Presidential Election. While she's making a name for herself in her new position, she's also fallen into the practice of going overboard with plastic surgery procedures, as she's essentially unrecognizable compared to what she looked like only a few years ago.

This was never more apparent than it was at the 2024 Republican National Convention, where she took center stage to support her father-in-law. Nicki Swift reached out to a cosmetic dermatologist to discuss Trump's apparent procedures, and Dr. Mariano Busso revealed that Lara Trump likely dropped around $120,000 on procedures. According to Dr. Busso, Trump's altered jawline is the result of a facelift, and it also looks like she's had a rhinoplasty, as the shape of her nose's bridge is clearly different from its natural state.

Additionally, Dr. Busso believes that Lara Trump has had Botox on her forehead and eye areas, and fillers, noting, "Her face seems rounder on the second picture, and her cheeks are fuller. Add all of these together, and the cost is high, but the change in Trump's appearance is drastic. She looks like a different person, though it's fair to say Trump appears slightly younger than her natural age."

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Florida GOP Representative Matt Gaetz has long been a supporter of former President Donald Trump, and was one of the 147 members of Congress to vote not to certify the 2020 Presidential Election. In the lead up to that event, and in the years since, Gaetz has been a leading voice for the former president, and he spoke at the Republican National Convention in 2024. It was during his speech that people couldn't help but notice his altered appearance, which is arguably unsettling.

Gaetz stepped on stage, and his eyebrows shot to the ceiling. Before this event, Gaetz had a relatively normal look with what appears to be a naturally sharp jawline. Gaetz was only 42 at the RNC, but it's clear he felt it necessary to have some work done despite his relative youth. Most notably, his eyebrows showed signs of Botox, which was likely used to smooth out his forehead.

Unfortunately for Gaetz, it looks like the doctor who administered his injections went a little too far. Dr. Corey L. Hartman spoke with Esquire about Gaetz's appearance, explaining that whoever applied the Botox had an "overly heavy hand and poor placement." He continued, "It's too heavy in the forehead and not lateral enough to prevent Spock Eye," referring to "Star Trek's" classic Vulcan, played by Leonard Nimoy, who often shot one eyebrow up inquisitively. Looking at Gaetz now, it's hard not to see him sitting on the bridge of the USS Enterprise.

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Former First Lady Melania Trump isn't seen in public much these days, but she has appeared in the latter parts of the 2024 to support her husband's campaign. Trump's appearance has changed somewhat over the years, which people have noticed, sparking rumors. She doesn't comment on this often, but Trump has spoken about some plastic surgery rumors, mostly by doubling down on her claims to have never had anything done.

These claims defy scrutiny, as Trump shows signs of multiple procedures if you look at pictures of her over time. Despite Trump's insistence in 2016 that she was against Botox while speaking with GQ, she was either dodging the question or has since changed her stance. If you look at pictures of Trump during her modeling days and compare them to more recent shots, it doesn't look as if she's had many procedures.

Most likely, Trump had some touch-up work to try to maintain her youthful beauty, which Dr. Motykie told the Daily Mail was probably done for maintenance of her appearance. Dr. Motykie believes she had filler in the "mid-face, cheeks, maybe a touch in the lips, and the standard Botox upkeep" as well. There have been accusations of more advanced plastic surgery, including breast augmentation. These have never been proven and will likely remain in the realm of speculation.

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South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem wasn't well-known until her second autobiography, "No Going Back." This was due to a chapter in the book where Noem detailed how she shot and killed one of her dogs. That brought Noem to the attention of the nation and the world, and it also put Noem in front of enough people that they noticed her appearance wasn't exactly natural. In fact, looking at her old photos, she appears to be an entirely different person.

Noem had admitted to having some work done via a video she shot in support of a Texas dental practice. In it, Noem details her work with Smile Texas, and the five-minute video brought plenty of negative attention. Regardless of the propriety of a sitting governor effectively recording an ad for an out-of-state dental practice, the video opened the floodgates of comments related to Noem's appearance, sparking plastic surgery rumors.

In addition to altering her teeth, Noem likely had work done around her eyes and mouth. These include a possible facelift and Botox injections. It's also possible Noem had a rhinoplasty at some point in her life and an eyebrow lift. While some of these alterations may be the result of poor makeup placement, it is possible that Noem has gone under the knife, though she's not admitted to anything outside of having her teeth fixed.

Former Congressional Representative George Santos served New York's 3rd congressional district for nearly a year before he was booted out of Congress in December 2023. Santos' campaign was accused of several illegal activities and improprieties, leading to his ouster from his position. Despite this career stumble that led to criminal charges he pled guilty to in August 2024, Santos often greeted cameras with his signature smile.

Santos is a rare example of a politician who's not only had plastic surgery done but he's also spoken about it openly, which is unusual. Santos sat for an interview with Page Six in May 2024, where he revealed everything he had done to his face cosmetically. "The upkeep is simple. Tons of retinol," Santos said. "Tons of products like La Mer. You can't go wrong. I'm a big Estée Lauder La Mer person."

After discussing the products he prefers to keep his youthful appearance maintained, Santos added more details about the various cosmetic procedures he's had over the years. Unlike most celebrities, he didn't hold back. Santos admitted to taking Botox, getting periodic filler, and he's had facial threads inserted as well. On top of that, he had previously taken Ozempic to lose weight, and he was back on it, having packed on some pounds from stress over his criminal trial. He stated that his goal in using Ozempic was to drop to 200 lbs., which would require him to lose 70 lbs. to reach his goal.

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Michele Fiore is another disgraced Republican politician, though, unlike George Santos, Fiore came under fire for her use of plastic surgery. Fiore served as the justice of the peace for Nye County in Nevada, where she ran into some legal trouble. Fiore was indicted on seven federal charges in July 2024. In October of that year, she was found guilty of all of them. How does this tie to plastic surgery, you may ask?

Well, it turns out that Fiore took public funds and spent them on herself, including a portion of $70,000 on personal plastic surgery. In this respect, Fiore went overboard with plastic surgery procedures simply by having them done with taxpayer money. The money was earmarked for an officer's memorial statue, having been killed in the line of duty, but Fiore took the cash and spent it on personal cosmetic procedures and her daughter's wedding.

Fiore had a pretty high fall from grace, having been called "Lady Trump" by the media only to wind up with a pretty hefty criminal record. It's unclear what kind of plastic surgery Fiore had done with her ill-gotten gains. However, it looks as if she may have had a facelift, Botox injections, and other procedures to improve her appearance. Of course, she may have lost some weight due to the stress of the trial, but she certainly went overboard by spending public funds on herself, and a jury of her peers agreed.