Trump Staffer Tricia McLaughlin Has Made Some Egregious Makeup Mistakes

At this point, it seems inevitable that once someone joins the MAGA team, their so-called Republican makeup comes out in full force, and that includes Tricia McLaughlin. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary for public affairs has been making the rounds on television heavily made-up, and just like Kristi Noem's biggest makeup mistakes, McLaughlin's errors are abundant. Looking at McLaughlin through the eyes of an experienced makeup artist with more than a decade of experience, I find it clear as day that she's not that skilled at the art of beauty. Although she hasn't quite yet headed into the territory of "Mar-a-Lago face" (or become one of its worst offenders), McLaughlin is sure inching her way there with caked-on cosmetics.

McLaughlin didn't always sport a face full of products; in fact, she leaned more toward an all-natural look earlier in her career. Perhaps working closely with Noem has inspired her to pile on the makeup, especially as she's becoming more visible on television. Sadly, what the Trump staffer doesn't know is that more isn't always necessarily better, especially in 4K, and it would be wise for McLaughlin to take a step back from the full-on MAGA look and avoid making more critical mistakes.

As a makeup artist, I know very well how important it is to look polished on camera, especially when representing the POTUS. It looked like Tricia McLaughlin attempted to do just that during a January 2026 appearance on CNN with perfectly coiffed hair and a professional blazer. Unfortunately, what wasn't perfect was the 31-year-old's makeup, with her overly thick liquid eyeliner and what looked like false lashes.

Heavily lined eyes have been out of style for a while, especially when paired with a thick set of falsies. Oversized winged eyeliner was a celebrity-approved makeup trend in 2023, but these days, a thin line is more favorable. Celebs like Ariana Grande are preferring none at all, actually, with barely there wispy lashes framing their peepers. There are other ways to enhance eyes on the screen, such as tightlining the upper lids with a waterproof black pencil, and a couple of mascara coats are enough to bring out some definition without looking like you're going to a nightclub, like McLaughlin did that day.

It certainly was a choice when Tricia McLaughlin woke up and decided to film herself answering questions for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in July 2025 with neon eyeshadow. She went the pastel route that day with a baby-pink blazer and matching lipstick, and while I applaud McLaughlin for trying to coordinate her makeup with her outfit, I can't get behind the bright-orange eyeshadow on her top lids, as it threw off the entire look. The shade completely clashed with the pink, and although neon was popular in the '80s, bright orange just doesn't belong on the eyes in 2026.

Wearing eyeshadows in the red color family is very tricky because you can end up looking like you have a bad case of pinkeye. Soft peach tones are fine because they have a bit of warmth, but they should lean more neutral. A rule of thumb when it comes to makeup is that if it makes you look like there's an active infection happening on your face, you should opt for another color.

Tricia McLaughlin must have been feeling a bit goth when visiting the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. in March 2019. While wearing a black mock turtleneck sweater, she posed for a selfie with badly applied smoky eyes and dark-brown lipstick. Her eyeshadow was desperately in need of some good blending, as it appeared uneven with a clear demarcation above her lids. McLaughlin's chunky brows weren't any better, looking hastily applied with an unsharpened pencil.

Adding to McLaughlin's muddy makeup palette was a very '90s maroon-colored lipstick, which was accentuated with a bold dash of lip liner. Combined with her eye makeup and dark blush, the government official's face had an overload of brown tones, adding years to her face. McLaughlin may have been beaming with joy while posing for the camera, but she may cringe in horror while looking back at her failed attempt at grungy makeup.

Tricia McLaughlin is a frequent commentator on Fox News, so she naturally needs to show up with a full face of glam. Sadly, one January 2026 appearance was riddled with makeup mistakes that were just too hard to ignore. For one, her foundation was at least two shades lighter than her neck, giving her face a ghostly pallor. Another glaringly obvious flub was the peach eyeshadow applied way above her lids in an attempt at a failed smoky eye. McLaughlin's harsh eyeliner didn't do her any favors, either, and encircling her eyes with it made them look smaller. A softer, smudged look would have better enhanced her peepers, with a gold or soft brown shade bringing out the blue color. 

Overall, McLaughlin's heavily beat face, along with her coiffed curls, screams "MAGA makeover," and it's apparent that she's no longer into the natural look after joining Trump's administration.