Trump Critiques TIME Magazine Cover Photo
This morning, former President Donald Trump took to social media to express his dissatisfaction with the latest cover of TIME Magazine. He labeled the photograph as “absolutely terrible” and “super bad,” despite the article inside that commended his recent diplomatic achievements.
Trump’s supporters seemed to enjoy his straightforwardness, praising him for being candid. One commenter noted, “This is why we love him!! You always know he’s authentically himself, not fake like other presidents we’ve had. That picture IS terrible and it’s disrespectful they chose it. Love that he called them out.”
The cover features a low-angle shot of Trump taken outdoors, with bright sunlight highlighting his neck in a less-than-flattering way. The lighting even makes his hair look somewhat transparent.
The accompanying article, titled “His Triumph,” focuses on Trump’s successful negotiation of a peace deal in the Middle East, marking a significant foreign policy victory. Finalized during a summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, the agreement, at least temporarily, aims to resolve one of the longest-standing conflicts in the region. It includes terms for the release of Israeli hostages and outlines a phased withdrawal of Israeli troops from areas in Gaza, alongside the establishment of an international monitoring mission.
Even with this significant accomplishment, Trump continued to criticize the cover photograph, suggesting that the magazine had “purposefully” chosen an unflattering image. He remarked on Truth Social, “It may be the worst photo of all time. They could have used one of a thousand better pictures, but they chose this one on purpose. It’s really bad — shot from below, terrible lighting, and it makes my hair look see-through. Disrespectful!”
He also speculated on whether TIME had selected the image deliberately due to its known political bias but acknowledged that the article itself was “fairly positive.” “The story was actually pretty good,” he stated, “But the picture? Super bad! What are they doing over there?”
A professional photographer commented that low-angle shots, typically used to suggest power or dominance, can distort features and sometimes emphasize aspects like the neck or jawline. Reports indicate that the photograph in question was chosen by TIME’s editorial team as part of their normal process, involving collaboration among various senior staff members.
