When style becomes political – the maga look of the Trump women

Botox and the Bible: many women in US President Trump’s orbit present themselves as hyper-feminine – and aggressive. The eye-catching aesthetic is no coincidence.

They have a suntanned complexion, sprayed-on lips, wrinkle-free faces, black eyeliner, glued-on eyelashes and striking eyebrows. Their hair is very long, often artificially elongated, parted in the middle and slightly wavy. “They are always thin and almost always white,” adds theNew York Timesabout the women in US President Donald Trump’s circle who characterize this style.

Their appearance is now so characteristic that it has its own name: the “Mar-a-Lago face”, named after Trump’s gigantic estate in Florida. Or simply: the “Maga look”. Maga stands for “Make America Great Again”, the movement that is rallying behind Trump.

Noem, Guilfoyle and co. characterize the look

Particularly well-known examples of the eye-catching look are Trump’s Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, his daughter-in-law Lara Trump and the designated US ambassador to Greece and ex-fiancée of Trump’s son Don Jr, Kimberly Guilfoyle. What they have in common is that they looked completely different a few years ago and have undergone a transformation on the outside. “Trumpification” is what theNew York Timesonce called Noem.

In principle, it is rather inappropriate to make comments about other people’s looks – not to mention rather out of place. But the look of the women in Trump’s entourage is more than just a question of taste, the debate about outward appearance is not just a criticism of style – it is a political statement.

Femininity as external staging

According to historian Kristin Kobes Du Mez, the prevailing image of women in Trump’s administration is closely aligned with the ideals of certain patriarchal evangelical circles – a trend that has gained further influence during Trump’s second term in office. In this milieu, a dogmatic interpretation of the Christian faith is combined with a nationalist vision of America.

Particularly in the extreme parts of this movement, there is open misogyny, explains Du Mez – up to and including demands to deprive women of the right to vote and restrict them to their role as mothers. There is room for women in public positions, but only under clear conditions. Femininity is defined there primarily through external staging and political allegiance – as a counterpart to the demonstrative display of male toughness.

“There is a place for women in this culture – but only if they support the entire agenda one hundred percent,” says Du Mez. The aesthetics have a political function: they make women the public faces of an authoritarian project. Figures such as Minister Noem or press spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt stylized themselves as figureheads of the system with make-up, cosmetic surgery and emphatically feminine clothing. A visible cross on the necklace is also usually a must.

Sarah Palin: Pitbull with lipstick

This form of staged right-wing femininity did not just emerge in conservative circles under Trump, says the historian. Sarah Palin was one of the first women to embody it on the national stage. The former governor of Alaska ran for the Republicans in 2008 as vice-presidential candidate alongside John McCain: a former beauty queen in gaudy outfits, highly tousled hair – and at the same time merciless in her attacks on political opponents.

Palin said at the time that the difference between a field hockey mom like herself and a pit bull was… Lipstick. “Hockey mom” is a term in the US for an often heavily involved mother who intensively supports her children – especially sons – in their sports careers.

The women in Trump’s circle also combine femininity with a tough demeanor. Secretary of Homeland Security Noem, for example, posed heavily made up, coiffed and with her cap pulled low over her face in the Cecot maximum security prison in El Salvador – and behind her stood dozens of clean-shaven men in a cell, their tattooed upper bodies exposed.

A “real” woman

There are similar examples in Congress: Republican congresswoman Nancy Mace, for example, verbally attacked her Democratic colleague Sarah McBride and denied her being a woman. McBride is the first trans woman to sit in the US Congress. Mace also likes to post videos of arguments with political opponents online, in which she often becomes offensive. Her Republican congressional colleagues Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert are similarly aggressive.

The feminist “Ms. Magazine” recently summed it up succinctly and to the point: A Trump supporter wearing a tight dress with a slit up to her thigh and stilettos is taking a stand – against transgender rights, for example. “She dresses like a ‘real’ woman – in the sense of a president who likes women who look like pin-up models.”

It’s about confidently defending traditional gender roles and gaining a voice and attention in the world of social media, where anyone and everyone can reach a public. This is likely to include Trump’s attention, whose wife Melania stands for a similar – but less extreme and much more classic – look.

No rule without exception

Of course, there are also exceptions in Trump’s circle of power. Probably the most powerful woman in the Trump world is Susie Wiles – she is the US president’s chief of staff. Wiles has gray hair, wears discreet make-up and unspectacular trouser suits.

“Susie likes to stay in the background,” said Trump on election night last November as he celebrated his victory on stage and thanked his team. Wiles represents the power behind the scenes – her stage is not Trump’s house and court broadcaster Fox News or the X and Tiktok platforms, but the White House.

The rest of Trump’s team – both male and female – are focusing on maximum attention and reach. “What makes this group of maga politicians so powerful is that they are instantly recognizable to outsiders as part of the conservative team,” says the New York Times. This recognition factor also helps with visibility on social media and can have an identity-building effect. Trump certainly seems to like it. He recently stated: “We made the presidency hot.”