Why is Donald Trump orange? Theories behind US candidate's 'bronzer' look shared online

-Credit: (Image: Getty)
-Credit: (Image: Getty)


Americans will be heading to the polls today (November 5) to choose their next president, and even at this late stage pollsters still suggesting that the hotly-fought race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is too close to call.

Although it's possible that a winner could be declared as soon as tomorrow, it could take days before the final result is known.

However, amongst all of the web searches asking important questions such as "When will we know who won the US election?" and "What time will the election be over?", there are also scores of people Googling the question: "Why is Donald Trump orange?"

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The former president, who lost to Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential race, has long been famed for his unusual complexion.

Donald Trump
Donald Trump -Credit:Getty Images

His deeply-tanned skin has been the subject of a lot of scrutiny over the years, with many people speculating how he maintains his bronzed appearance. Donald Trump has repeatedly denied the claims that he uses fake tan and bronzing lotions - an official in his administration put his complexion down to “good genes”.

However, in recent weeks people have declared that Trump looks "more orange than ever", after a viral photo was snapped at recent rally in the city of Green Bay in Wisconsin. Trump decided to swap his normal suit jacket for a reflective orange high-vis "garbage man" vest to make a point to his supporters after President Joe Biden appeared to call supporters of Donald Trump “garbage".

His choice of clothing accentuated the unusual colour of his face, which pundits claim has been growing increasingly more vibrant over the course of the election campaign. Some X users even joked that Trump, 78, had finally "evolved into his final, neon orange form".

Donald Trump speaks during a rally at the Resch Center on October 30, 2024 in Green Bay -Credit:Getty
Donald Trump speaks during a rally at the Resch Center on October 30, 2024 in Green Bay -Credit:Getty

So, why is Trump so orange at the moment? Well American photo editor Emily Elsie has shared an intriguing theory behind the former president's appearance, and explained she believes the intensity of his bronzer use is directly linked to his stress levels.

“Why is no one covering this very important data point?” she wrote in a series of viral Instagram stories, which were re-shared on X and racked up nearly 40 million views in less than two days.

“In July 2024, Donald Trump looked like this...” she said, sharing a picture of Trump shortly after his assassination attempt. “And now he looks like this,” she added alongside a recent picture.

She explained that for years, she’d thought that Trump’s changing tan colour was a choice made primarily for TV audiences.

“But lately, I feel like something more psychological is happening,” she added. “When Trump took office in 2017, he was significantly less orange... but as his term wore on, more bronzer was applied."

“When Trump was up in the polls, and a victory was all but certain, the bronzer was gone," she explains.

She then shared a recent picture of the former president looking distinctly darker. “Believe me when I tell you we’ve never seen him like this,” she said. “Also, it appears he’s doing his hands now?”

She also noted that the “mask” of make up tends to get “darker towards the end of his presidential campaigns".

The viral X thread was flooded with replies, with many people wanting to add their ten cents to the "why is Donald Trump orange?" debate.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump arrives to speak at his last campaign rally at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan on November 5, 2024. -Credit:Getty
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump arrives to speak at his last campaign rally at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan on November 5, 2024. -Credit:Getty

One understanding commenter said: "It totally makes sense that he'd turn to bronzer during stressful times especially with the visibility around elections and his reality TV background."

In her viral Instagram stories, Elsie also takes a sympathetic approach, explaining that she doesn't think Trump's appearance is a laughing matter: “I don’t think he looks silly, I think he looks trapped,” she said. “He is acting just like we do when we are a) insulated b) insecure c) surrounded by pictures of ourselves."

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