Elections

Jimmy Fallon messes with Trump’s hair, Trump ducks Obama birther question

By Lesley Clark

lclark@mcclatchydc.com

September 15, 2016 09:33 PM

After days of staying off the campaign trail due to illness, Hillary Clinton returned with a message about healthcare in North Carolina. It was a big TV day for Donald Trump, who discussed his physical with Dr. Oz and let Jimmy Fallon mess up his
NEW YORK

Donald Trump’s famous thatch of hair has inspired countless jokes and Internet memes: (See Trumpmycat on Instagram, for starters)

And it was apparently too much for talk show host Jimmy Fallon to resist.

With Trump on his show Thursday night, Fallon closed out the interview by asking Trump if he could do something silly with him since it might be the last time he appeared as a guest before becoming president of the United States.

Trump was immediately suspicious.

“I’m not liking the sound of this,” he said as the audience roared.

But after Fallon asked if he could mess up his hair, Trump after a brief pause, gave his assent.

“The answer is yes, but ... I hope the people of New Hampshire ... will understand,” Trump said, suggesting he didn’t want to appear at a campaign rally later Thursday with hair out a place.

September 15, 2016
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Fallon then took a long trip through Trump’s hair, mussing his locks and leaving him with a wild shock of hair.

Trump smiled gamely. He tried to push his hair back in place, but it largely resisted.

Earlier, Fallon had thanked Trump “for the material” he’s provided his show, telling him “you say some shocking things.”

“But I’m trying not to anymore,” said Trump, who has in recent weeks tried to stick to prepared remarks and avoid controversy.

“See, that's changing,” Fallon said, laughing.

But Trump managed to spark it nevertheless. In a Washington Post interview posted Thursday, he refused to say whether he believes President Obama was born in Hawaii. Campaign aides and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani last week insisted Trump had dropped the birther controversy.

But he told the Post: "I'll answer that question at the right time."

He also characterized the pastor who hosted him in Flint, Michigan as a "nervous mess," despite the fact she shielded him from criticism.

And late Thursday, he took the stage in Laconia, NH before the traveling press corps that covers him was there.

Lesley Clark: 202-383-6054, @lesleyclark