Donald Trump’s ‘Pucker Chin’ Transformation Captures Attention

Back in 2017, The Guardian explored Trump’s most frequent facial expressions and delved into the psychology behind them. Among these was his puckered chin. Psychologist Peter Collett explained, “People often pull their chins in when they feel threatened — it’s a way of tensing the chin in anticipation of being symbolically punched in the face.” Collett suggested that Trump’s frequent use of this expression betrays a vulnerability beneath his bold exterior, indicating he may not be as tough as he wants to appear. Interestingly, Trump’s chin puckering seems even more pronounced these days. This isn’t to say it wasn’t present before, but its noticeable presence during his second term could be attributed to the lasting effects of habitual expressions, resulting in those notorious static lines.

Reflecting on Trump’s expression in 2018, during discussions with reporters about the Senate vote on Brett Kavanaugh, we see the same pucker. At the time, he had not yet experienced his significant weight loss, which might explain why the puckering wasn’t as prominent then as it is now. Nevertheless, it was still evident, and with Collett’s insights in mind, the tension in his body language becomes apparent. Indeed, during these interactions, Trump seemed to wear a grimace.

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Not every instance of Trump’s chin pucker equates to a grimace, but it often serves as a shield, possibly masking strong emotions. This was evident during his appearance at a 2021 rally in Des Moines to endorse Chuck Grassley.

Fast forward to 2023, and Trump’s expressions still seem to carry a hint of melancholy in some images. His chin pucker appeared somewhat subdued at a UFC event, even while he was photographed alongside MAGA enthusiast Kid Rock and likely mingling with his friend Dana White. The lighting might have played a part in this appearance, but as we’ve observed, Trump’s chin pucker has generally become more pronounced with time, rather than diminishing.

Perhaps that was because Grassley alluded to his political future in glowing terms at the rally, noting that Trump had “91 percent of the Republican voters in Iowa” (via The Hill). Happy tears, WYA?

Come 2023, Donald Trump still looked a little sad in some pics, and we dare say his chin pucker seemed a tad deflated even at a UFC tournament. This, despite being photographed next to MAGA rocker Kid Rock, and the likelihood that he was hanging out with his close friend Dana White as well. Granted, there is a possibility the lighting had something to do with that, because as we’ve assessed, in more recent years, the president’s chin pucker has become more prominent, not less. 

Perhaps Trump’s chin needs a presidential title to really shine. 

Fast-forward to 2024, and a re-elected Donald Trump was puckering his chin for Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest. That came after months of Ozempic rumors, so perhaps his chin standing out more than it had before had something to do with the then-president-elect’s weight loss. After all, we doubt he felt a need to tense up at a Turning Point USA event. 

It’s possible the businessman was just super proud of his turnaround and impending return to the presidency, and the emotions he was trying to stave off were happy tears. A missed opportunity for “aws,” honestly.

By the time Donald Trump had moved back into the White House, his pucker was back and seemed to be all but etched into his chin. In fact, it was so established it almost looked as though he didn’t need to tense up for it to be seen. That’s just as well, because it was around that time that his overall exhausted appearance started making him look like the real sleepy Joe, and no pucker, iconic or not, is worth over-exertion. 

After years of noticeable chin puckering, it seems 2026 was Donald Trump’s year to shine — and never have Peter Collett’s musings on it being a defense mechanism rung more true. 

While speaking to the White House press corps in March 2026, Trump noticeably puckered his chin as he acknowledged that military deaths were an unfortunate part of war. It was pretty obvious he was trying to look sympathetic, but with him immediately following that up by asking which publication the question had come from, it also seems likely he was bracing for a confrontation with the reporter. Pucker chin defense, activate.

No, that’s not a pic of Donald Trump making a stank face at a rave, though we will concede he looked like he may be mid-robot dance. Luckily for Melania Trump, though (who we all know hates his cringey dance moves), the president was just addressing the GOP.

We’re not sure exactly what he was speaking about at the moment he fashioned his chin into what might well have been the deepest pucker we’ve seen on him, but the photo evidence might well become our go-to party meme. 

Just two days after breaking it down on stage (JK), Donald Trump gave us another chin pucker, this time while addressing a crowd in Kentucky. Far from looking like he was grimacing, though, it looked as though he was genuinely thrilled to be there. 

We’d say we could glean that from his chin (call us the pucker whisperers), but he did also tell the crowd, “I love Kentucky. We won in a landslide” (via Fox 10 Phoenix). Happy pucker it is, then. 

Donald Trump puckered his chin a lot during the 2026 St. Patrick’s Day festivities with Ireland’s Taoiseach Micheál Martin, and TBF, a lot of it looked like he was genuinely smiling along with the audience. However, as was reported by CNN, Martin did throw a few low-key jabs at the president, particularly when it came to things like tariffs, so it’s also possible that laughter was on the guarded side. After all, there were also times during the speech his chin was giving sad pucker (see above). 

Either way, the president’s chin pucker is alive and well, and something tells us it’ll only become more of a fixture with time.