Photographer Says Donald Trump's Bronzer Disaster Unlocks His True Psyche

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Donald Trump has long been taunted for his orange-looking skin, and even one of his former aides has said he wears makeup. However, it's pretty clear that the amount of bronzer the three-time presidential candidate wears has changed over time — and as photographer Emily Keegin mused on Instagram, that may have something to do with his confidence levels. 

In a series of Instagram Stories saved to a highlight titled "Bronze," Keegin painstakingly compared pictures of Trump over the years, pointing out that he hasn't always been quite as orange as he is today. In particular, the photographer noted that it seemed to be around the time of elections that his hue deepened significantly. Keegin then pointed out that the beginnings of Trump's signature orange lewk lay in the early aughts. It was during that time that Trump became the star of "The Apprentice." That said, it was also during that period that on-camera practices like fake tan became more mainstream, as a way to mimic that on-camera look IRL. Keegin then mused that Trump's habit of overdoing his makeup was likely linked to his insecurities ... and that's where her commentary took a very interesting turn. 

"The presence of an exaggerated mask implies an ego in utter despair, desperately trying to hide and overcompensate for perceived weaknesses," she wrote. In light of that, she concluded that since his skin post-Madison Square Garden rally was darker than ever (and even had some saying he picked the wrong Halloween costume), "Looking at this picture, I can say with absolute certainty, Trump thinks he's losing." As an aside, this would be the point where a mic is dropped. That said, there's certainly a possibility Keegin was on to something there. 

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

While Donald Trump's makeup is pretty hard to ignore, it's worth mentioning that he's never actually copped to using it. In fact, it seems he's actually tried to hide it from makeup artists in the past, as well. That became clear in 2019, when Jason Kelly told The Washington Post that Trump hinted behind the scenes at the 2016 Republican National Convention that he didn't need much makeup. This, because he was already covered in bronzer. According to the makeup artist, Trump, "came in and said he already thinks he looks pretty good." Suffice it to say, Kelly disagreed. In fact, the makeup pro told the outlet that every time Trump is seen with his signature glow, "I see a line of oxidized bronzer around his hairline." Yikes. 

The closest we've come to an admission about Trump's makeup (or his penchant for doing it on his own) is a line from an anonymous insider who revealed to The New York Times that the 45th president applied his own translucent powder. That's pretty par for the course when there are cameras around — but as for the translucent part, we're not so sure. 

Whether Trump's penchant for bronzer is simply a preference or hints at his inner lack of confidence regarding the election outcomes, one thing that is almost guaranteed is that "The Apprentice" star isn't going to talk about it. However, Emily Keegin's theory certainly is an interesting one — and based on the amount of detail that went into it, not entirely unplausible, either.