Trump Officials Pressured to Boost 'Masculine Appeal'

Report finds Trump's obsession with appearance extends to his male staff members

Apr. 18, 2026 at 7:28pm

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A cinematic painting of a solitary middle-aged man in a dark suit standing alone in a dimly lit government office, bathed in warm, diagonal sunlight and deep shadows, conveying a sense of fragility and vulnerability beneath a stoic exterior.The psychological toll of performing a narrow, Trump-approved masculinity takes a visible toll on the president's male staff members.NYC Today

A new report from the New York Times reveals that men working in the Trump administration are being scrutinized by the president to satisfy his strict appearance standards and cultivate a 'strong and powerful and dominant and stoic' masculine persona. Trump's own insecurities about his looks have created a dynamic where his male staff members feel they must constantly perform a specific type of masculinity to maintain their status in his eyes.

Why it matters

Trump's focus on appearance as a tool of power and control has created a toxic work environment for his male staff, who feel their status and value is tied to how they look rather than their actual skills and abilities. This dynamic reinforces narrow, performative notions of acceptable masculinity and can have severe psychological impacts on those subjected to it.

The details

According to the report, Trump has strict appearance standards that he expects his male staff to satisfy, beyond the 'Mar-a-Lago face' that is common among the women in his orbit. Clinical psychologist Zac Seidler says that beneath the tough guy exterior, 'all you see is fragility' as the men constantly try to cultivate a persona that seems 'strong and powerful and dominant and stoic' to appeal to Trump. The president himself has publicly complained about photos that he felt made him look bald, exposing his own insecurities about appearance. Political scientist Dan Cassino explains that the men in the Trump administration are 'performing a very specific type of masculinity' to try and maintain their status in the president's eyes, as Trump uses appearance-based criticism as a tool of power. Author Rose Hackman says this 'reduces them to assets' that can have their status changed at any time, triggering severe insecurities.

  • Last fall, Trump publicly complained about a Time magazine photo he felt made him look bald.

The players

Zac Seidler

A clinical psychologist who has observed the 'fragility' beneath the tough guy exterior of Trump's male staff members.

Dan Cassino

A political scientist who explains how the men in the Trump administration are 'performing a very specific type of masculinity' to appeal to the president.

Rose Hackman

The author of 'Emotional Labor' who says Trump's use of appearance-based criticism 'reduces them to assets' that can have their status changed at any time.

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What they’re saying

“It's constant attempts at trying to cultivate a persona that in their eyes seems strong and powerful and dominant and stoic.”

— Zac Seidler, Clinical Psychologist

“Men in the Trump administration are performing a very specific type of masculinity in order to try and appeal to Trump.”

— Dan Cassino, Political Scientist

“Commenting on someone's look or looks is one of the most basic forms of power play we have.”

— Rose Hackman, Author of 'Emotional Labor'

The takeaway

Trump's obsession with appearance and his use of it as a tool of power has created a toxic work environment for his male staff, who feel constant pressure to perform a narrow, performative version of masculinity in order to maintain their status and value in the president's eyes. This dynamic reinforces harmful gender norms and can have severe psychological impacts on those subjected to it.