They say that imitation is the strongest form of flattery. That is, when you try to copy someone else, you’re telling the world how much you really like that person. However, imitating someone gets a little more confusing when you spend all your time talking about how much you hate the other guy!
That’s what happened with Donald Trump, who has had a beef against Barack Obama that goes back over a decade. On paper, Trump is Obama’s biggest hater, but that hasn’t kept him from swiping some of his opponent’s most iconic looks. In fact, Donald and Melania have both channeled Barack and Michelle Obama’s fashions on more than one occasion.
Don’t believe it? Or maybe you just want to see who wore it best? Either way, keep reading to discover the strangest times the Trumps tried to dress like the Obamas!
The power of the skirt suit
When Donald Trump decides to copy one of Barack Obama’s outfits, he usually isn’t very subtle about it. Look at the images side by side, and it almost looks like two friends who decided to wear matching ‘fits to the party. As for Melania, she is far more subtle than her husband, making it harder to notice when she borrows a look from Michelle!
One of the best examples of this is when Melania rocked a gray skirt suit and blazer when Donald Trump was signing the Take It Down Act. This may look like an original outfit, but it’s not: look back at Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign, and you’ll notice that Michelle rocked a pretty similar suit…or, at the very least, one with a similar waistline. Admittedly, this could be a case of two queens who independently decided to sport the same snazzy ‘fit. However, we can’t help but believe that Melania Trump decided to show up Michelle Obama with a simple message: a suit that says “I can do it better than you!”
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Red, black, and presidential all over
As we said before, Donald Trump tends to be a bit more overt than Melania when it comes to stealing someone else’s fashion sense. For example, check out the black coat/red scarf combo that Donald Trump wore in November 2025. Relatively speaking, the outfit was a hit: its dark coloration made Trump look very refined and stately, while that sharp slash of red makes him look young, hip, and more than a little stylish. The only thing wrong with this outfit? It looks like he stole the ‘fit from Barack Obama!
Back in 2011, Obama wore a very similar outfit to the National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony. Look closely, and he is wearing the exact same black coat/red scarf combo. Sure, the garments differ slightly, but it’s striking how much Trump looks like he is channeling Obama. Eventually, a post comparing their two looks went viral, and the internet soon reached a consensus about the outfits. Namely, that Obama wore it better!
As for us, we can’t really pick a side…both presidents look really good in their respective outfits. We just want one of them to answer the big question: where can we find such good-looking scarves for ourselves?
How Melania got her gardening groove back
Once she moved into the White House, Melania Trump had to walk a very fine line. She originally rose to fame as an international supermodel, and her trophy wife marriage to Donald Trump cemented her as one of America’s elite. Often, Melania will play up her image as a one-percenter: for example, she recently starred in her own documentary, one that raised her status from “supermodel” to “movie star.” However, even Melania understands that there is a time and place to dress a bit more down to Earth.
For example, this September 2017 picture shows Melania getting her hands dirty…literally! She’s harvesting vegetables from the White House Kitchen Garden while wearing a flannel shirt and blue jeans, which is downright casual for this glamorous gal. It’s also not a very original look, as Michelle wore a similar flannel/jean combo one year earlier while (coincidentally enough) gardening with children. Of course, this is flattering in its own way. If Melania is going to steal fashion ideas from others, we’re glad she’s stealing from the very best!
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Borrowing those inauguration vibes
One unfortunate aspect of Donald Trump’s last few years is that he spends plenty of time in court, dodging one lawsuit after another. In 2023, he had to appear before the New York State Supreme Court, which is about as legally serious as things can get. Trump decided to dress to the occasion, looking sharp in a black suit with a light shirt and blue tie.
It’s a great look, alright…one that we had seen a decade ago on another man! After Barack Obama won his reelection campaign, he wore a very similar-looking outfit to his own inauguration. It made Obama look like exactly what he was: someone about to become the most powerful person in the world for another four years. Can anyone blame Trump for stealing this killer look a decade later?