Trump blasts TIME magazine for ‘disappearing’ his hair during his biggest moment

U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed outrage over TIME magazine’s latest cover, calling the photograph chosen for the issue “the worst of all time,” even as the feature praises his administration for brokering the Gaza ceasefire deal.

The TIME article outlines how Trump’s leadership helped secure a truce that resulted in the release of all living Israeli hostages held by Hamas and the exchange of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. The deal also led to Israeli troop withdrawals from parts of Gaza, allowing international aid to enter the famine-stricken enclave.

According to the report, Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza is advancing steadily, with the creation of a “Board of Peace”, chaired by the president and former UK Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair, set to oversee long-term reconstruction and diplomacy efforts.

But while the story paints the president’s foreign policy as a potential legacy-defining moment, Trump took issue with the magazine’s cover image. The photo shows him from a low angle with the sun directly behind his head, making his hair appear faint and creating a glowing silhouette.

Posting on Truth Social, Trump wrote:

“TIME Magazine wrote a relatively good story about me, but the picture may be the Worst of All Time. They ‘disappeared’ my hair and added something floating on top of my head that looked like a tiny crown — really weird! I never liked photos taken from underneath angles, but this one is super bad and deserves to be called out.”

The cover headline, “His Triumph”, is accompanied by subheadings reading “The Leader Israel Needed” and “How Gaza Heals.”

Despite the flattering narrative, Trump’s supporters have blasted the photograph, calling it “disrespectful” and “intentionally unflattering.” Photographer Matt Sweetwood commented “No one takes a picture of a world leader from that angle. It’s deliberate, it’s awful, and it’s evil.”

Another photographer, Pam D, added “As a professional, I’d be ashamed to release that shot. Shooting up someone’s nose? Huge no-no.”

However, others have defended TIME’s artistic direction, describing the photo as “symbolic and powerful.”

“It’s clean, sky-dominant, presidential — authority without apology,” one reader wrote. “He looks like he’s just won a war. The image says relief and victory.”

The controversy comes as speculation mounts that Trump could again be named TIME’s Person of the Year for 2025, after previously earning the title in 2024 following his return to office.

If his Gaza peace plan continues to hold and regional stability improves, observers say Trump could become one of the few presidents in modern history to win the honor back-to-back whether he approves of the cover photo or not.