Trump slams TIME magazine for it's latest cover photo as “unflattering”
The cover story highlights Trump’s role in brokering a Gaza ceasefire
The ceasefire success has reignited global discussions about nominating Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize
On October 14, 2025 (Tuesday), U.S. President Donald Trump criticized TIME magazine over its latest cover, calling the image “unflattering.” The issue, titled “His Triumph,” highlighted Trump’s recent diplomatic success — brokering a ceasefire and a major hostage-prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas. This achievement has sparked discussions about his possible nomination for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize.
Posting on Truth Social, Trump said the magazine had published a “super bad picture.” He 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 above my head that looked like a tiny crown. Really weird!”
Trump also expressed frustration over the photo being taken from an “underneath angle” and questioned why the magazine chose such an image. “What are they doing, and why?” he added.
The cover story came shortly after Trump was credited with mediating a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, ending hostilities that began on October 7, 2023. As part of the agreement, 20 Israeli hostages were released, while Israel freed around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and returned the remains of roughly 360 Palestinians, officials said.
The ceasefire was signed in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, with world leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, present. The success has led to renewed calls from international leaders supporting Trump’s nomination for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize.
Trump, who has long sought recognition as a global peacemaker, has claimed credit for ending eight wars, including conflicts involving India and Pakistan. He missed out on the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, which was awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado.
Trump was not the only one to notice the cover—many users on X also commented on TIME’s choice of image. Mario Nawfal, a Lebanese-Australian entrepreneur and business professional, tweeted: “The photo? Deliberately terrible.” He compared Trump’s cover to those of other leaders, saying, “The photos of Obama, Biden, and Kamala were absolute masterpieces. Trump looks like they shaved his head…”
Many others on social media agreed that the photo was “horrible,” calling it “the worst picture of him.” Another user wrote, “Even when they’re praising him, they deliberately do what they can to minimize his image.” Several others expressed similar sentiments online.
This is not the first time Trump has criticized TIME. In February 2025, he mocked the magazine for publishing a photo of Elon Musk sitting at the Oval Office’s Resolute Desk while heading the Department of Government Efficiency. At the time, he said, “Is TIME magazine still in business? I didn’t even know that,” though he praised Musk’s work.
After the Gaza ceasefire, Trump also announced the start of “Phase Two” of his peace initiative, although questions remain about how smoothly it will be implemented. [Rh/VP]
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