How Tall Is Donald Trump?
Ever since George Washington was sworn in as the United States' first president in 1789, the lives of America's leaders have fascinated the public. Especially because this particularly high-profile gig seems to attract strange and unusual occurrences, many of which remain unanswered. For instance, did Harry Truman cover up evidence of an alien invasion? What info did the missing portion of the Watergate tapes reveal? How did Zachary Taylor really die? And, of course, how tall is Donald Trump?
The last one might not seem like that big of a deal or even really a mystery. After all, a quick Google search will tell you that Trump stands at an impressive 6 feet, 3 inches, making him the third-tallest president, behind Abraham Lincoln and Lyndon B. Johnson. However, some people are convinced that Trump might actually belong a bit further down the list than he'd like us to believe, suggesting that the former president might be telling tall tales about his height.
Is Trump actually shorter than he seems? And where did these rumors come from? We delve into the enigma below.
Why do people think Donald Trump lied about his height?
Every great mystery inevitably breeds a swarm of conspiracy theories, and the question of Donald Trump's true height is no exception. The confusion seemed to start when a medical report released by White House doctor Ronny Jackson declared Trump to be the picture of health and a dashing 6 feet, 3 inches. But eagle-eyed internet sleuths were quick to point out that Trump's driving license listed him as only 6 feet, 2 inches (as per The Guardian).
Rejecting the possibility that perhaps the power of the presidency made him grow an inch, social media users started digging up pictures of Trump posing next to celebrities of similar alleged height. "Guardians of the Galaxy" director James Gunn tweeted a picture of Trump next to confirmed 6 feet, 3 incher Alex Rodriguez, in which the latter looks considerably taller. In a photo of Trump with predecessor Barack Obama, who is 6 feet, 1 inch, the two appear to be the same height.
Unlike most internet conspiracies, the hilariously dubbed "Girther" movement does seem to have some actual evidence supporting their claims. But why would Trump, or anyone, lie about their height? Read on to find out.
Donald Trump's possible reasons for reportedly lying about his height
Throughout his one-term presidency, Donald Trump became known for many things: like enjoying chocolate cake, staring directly into the sun, and coining the word "covfefe." Unfortunately, he also earned a reputation for dishonesty, with The Washington Post counting 30,573 false or misleading claims made during his presidency. While he isn't the first POTUS to tell untruths (cough, cough, Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton), his fibs were certainly the oddest, like when he claimed his inauguration had the highest-ever attendance, despite clear evidence to the contrary.
So, while it wouldn't be out of character to fib about something so silly, there are a few theories floating around as to why Trump would want to obscure the truth. Citing the same medical report that started it all, Slate speculated that Trump's weight played a factor. At 236 pounds, being one inch shorter would classify him as obese on the BMI index. Author Jay Matthews, who wrote about the link between height and presidential success, even suggested in The Washington Post that his own theories might be to blame, as Trump might associate power with height.
With world-class cover-ups and organizations dedicated to keeping mysteries classified, it's unlikely we'll ever know the real truth. But, perhaps we are ignoring the most compelling evidence of all: the fact that Trump is the father of Barron Trump, who stands at a whopping 6 feet, 7 inches.