Donald Trump owes both his success and his odious presence to one single thing: his intense vanity. That’s something even people deep in MAGA will often chuckle at. So it’s not surprising that Trump managed to ruin his positive press in the aftermath of the peace deal in Israel by fixating on how his hair looked in a picture used on a magazine cover.
Trump had a monumental week. Despite his vow to end the war between Hamas and Israel after the conflict became overshadowed by the tragedy that befell Palestinians in Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was globally seen as one of the most disliked people, and many couldn’t even sit through his speech at the United Nations General Assembly.
Netanyahu went ahead and applauded his army for their handling of the conflict without acknowledging any criticism. We’d never looked so far from a peace treaty, yet Trump was still able to broker a deal between Israel and Hamas — one that ensured a ceasefire and the release of hostages.
Trump still lost the Nobel Peace Prize, but that’s not to say there was no warm reception for his achievements. Former President Bill Clinton complimented him and said Trump “deserves great credit” for getting the peace deal done. Similar sentiments were shared by other outlets that finally had a good reason to write something positive about the president. TIME Magazine notably ran a story titled “His Triumph” that featured a flattering account of Trump’s peace deal. But the president took issue with the photo the publication chose to use.
My statement on the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas: pic.twitter.com/lN0xQxGHfT
— Bill Clinton (@BillClinton) October 13, 2025
The living Israeli hostages held in Gaza have been freed under the first phase of Donald Trump's peace plan, alongside a Palestinian prisoner release. The deal may become a signature achievement of Trump's second term, and it could mark a strategic turning point for the Middle… pic.twitter.com/0bZDABIDGj
— TIME (@TIME) October 13, 2025
Trump ran to Truth Social to share his frustrations with TIME. Of course, Trump had no issues with the actual content of the article, which he called “relatively good.” His issue was with the angle of the photo. Trump explained, “I never liked taking pictures from underneath angles, but this is a super bad picture, and deserves to be called out. What are they doing and why?”
Hair today, gone tomorrow
Trump claimed that the publication “disappeared” his hair. He also noted that the direction of the photo placed the “M” of TIME right above his head, resembling a crown, which, according to him, was too small. However, this comes so soon after Trump lamented that there aren’t enough positive stories about his presidency being published, bringing forth an even larger issue.
Donald J. Trump Truth Social Post 01:36 AM EST 10/14/25 pic.twitter.com/pifG3kNidp
— Commentary Donald J. Trump Posts From Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) October 14, 2025
Trump doesn’t just want glowing stories written about him; he now also wants them accompanied by flattering photos. This suggests that Trump sees his role as more than just a president — he sees himself as a celebrity doing a puff piece for a Hollywood trade. But that’s simply not what journalism is about.
If Trump wants to be showered with praise, he could always turn to the Joe Rogan–aligned podcast sphere. There, he’d be able to dictate how people speak of his policies — and perhaps even choose his most flattering angles. Those podcasters would probably even give him a crown himself, as big as Trump wants it. But when it comes to news publications, Trump will probably never get to choose what gets covered — or how.
Published: Oct 14, 2025 06:43 am