5 Times Donald & Melania Trump Tried To Copy The Obamas' Outfits

For years, President Donald Trump has signaled his power and influence in and out of the White House. From appearing on TV shows and movies to pardoning famous people, Trump seems to want to get America's attention in as many ways as possible. But the twice-elected commander-in-chief doesn't run the show on his ideas alone, and his inability to let go of Elon Musk is a testament to Trump's need for inspiration.

First Lady Melania Trump isn't as influential as her husband, but her life before the Oval Office indicates that she welcomes attention just as much. Melania has a track record of showing off her legs and turning heads, and she loves wearing a meaningful outfit whenever her husband's active in politics. Some of Melania's best looks are seemingly inspired by historical figures or fictional characters, although she was one of the worst-dressed people at Trump's 2025 inauguration.

The Trumps also seem highly aware of where they stand with others, and their fashion sense reflects that, along with their wealth and influence. Donald constantly turning allies into enemies creates a need to appeal to America differently. Emulating the style of Barack and Michelle Obama — arguably the faces of a totally different era — might be the best way to go about it.

After Trump praised New York City's Zohran Mamdani, he wore a black coat and a red scarf in late November 2025. Netizens pointed out the outfit's similarity to an image of Mamdani wearing a black blazer and a red turtleneck. However, the Mamdani image was a confirmed edit. One person on X highlighted a closer resemblance between Trump and former president Barack Obama, wearing the same scarf and coat colors at the National Christmas Tree Lighting in 2011. The caption of the viral post said, "Obama wore it better."

In May 2025, Melania Trump followed her husband to the White House Rose Garden when he signed the Take It Down Act to combat revenge porn. Melania's gray skirt suit had a blazer that accentuated her waist with two pairs of buttons and two pocket flaps. The lined fabric and the elongated collar opening are reminiscent of one of Michelle Obama's outfits during Barack's 2008 campaign. Although Michelle's suit was red with flared sleeves, no double buttons, and no pocket flaps, the blazer has a similar snug waistline. Michelle modestly completed her look with a layered pearl necklace, dainty earrings, and a silver watch.

Michelle Obama knew how to dress down in style when Barack was in office. When she and her family left Yosemite National Park in June 2016, Michelle wore a flowy gingham summer dress by J. Crew, one of her go-to designers. The former first lady paired the black-and-white dress with a black net headband. Melania Trump wore a gingham dress two years later. The blue-and-white Ralph Lauren dress was much longer than Michelle's, and Melania paired it with red flats to match the red bow at her waist.

It's no secret that Donald Trump's legal issues were on another level between his first and second terms. He appeared in the New York State Supreme Court in 2023, and his look was, ironically, similar to Obama's inaugural outfit in 2013. While the patterns on their ties aren't the same, the shade of blue is. Both men wore black suit jackets to complete the look. Trump also wore a very light blue shirt compared to Obama's white one, but Trump looked just as stately as his predecessor.

While Melania likes to wear more high-end pieces, it looks like she takes notes from Michelle for dressing down. In September 2017, the Trumps continued the Obama tradition of harvesting vegetables in the White House Kitchen Garden. Melania wore a red-and-black flannel with dark blue jeans and Jack Purcell Converse, and she isn't the first to wear this combination while gardening with school-aged kids. In October 2016, Michelle Obama donned a black-and-white flannel under a light olive vest, paired with dark-wash denim and black Converse. The two similar looks, separated by less than a year, indicate that Melania wanted some consistency under a pretty different administration.