“Brunette Trump”: Internet reacts as US President appears with darker hair
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US President Donald Trump’s signature golden-blond hair appeared noticeably darker—nearly brunette—in photos taken as he stepped off Air Force One in Morristown, New Jersey, on Friday, sparking widespread online speculation and jokes about a possible dye job or style change.
The 80-year-old president, dressed in a navy suit and yellow tie, was heading to his Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster for the Labor Day weekend.
Photographers captured the moment, showing his hair looking flatter, more tousled, and significantly darker than his longtime swept-over blond look, with the part seemingly shifted.
The apparent transformation came just two days after Trump publicly rejected long-standing rumors that he wears a wig.
During a September 2 speech, he said, “I don’t wear a wig,” recalling a windy 2024 campaign rally where any such covering “was not going to be on your head very long.”
Social media reacted swiftly. Journalist Yashar Ali posted the airport images and wrote, “The hair???? If I hadn’t pulled the photos from Getty Images myself, I wouldn’t have believed it.”
The hair????
— Yashar Ali (@yashar) September 5, 2026
If I hadn’t pulled the photos from Getty Images myself, I wouldn’t have believed it. pic.twitter.com/8p7UlTNVAz
Journalist Molly Jong-Fast declared, “Trump is now a brunette!” while Aaron Rupar asked, “What in the world is going on with Trump’s hair?”
Trump is now a brunette! https://t.co/j88fJIOSPG
— Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) September 5, 2026
Critics piled on with sarcasm. Former Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger wrote in all caps, “You have got to be kidding me.”
YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME pic.twitter.com/o4sxQjnBOX
— Adam Kinzinger (Slava Ukraini) 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@AdamKinzinger) September 6, 2026
Lawyer George Conway joked that “something needs to be done about his hair under the 25th Amendment.”
Author Anne Lamott offered a more positive take: “I love it. So youthful. Very Pierce Brosnan.”
I love it. So youthful. Very Pierce Brosnan. https://t.co/UDukjWxSbp
— ANNE LAMOTT (@ANNELAMOTT) September 5, 2026
On Saturday, Trump played golf at Bedminster wearing a red “Trump was right about everything” hat that largely hid his hair, leaving it unclear whether the darker shade was temporary or intentional.
The White House has not commented, and Trump has not addressed the matter.
Trump’s hair has long drawn intense public scrutiny and occasional denser-looking appearances in recent months, but this brunette shift marked a rare departure from his trademark style.
