Most politicians try to stay carefully on message, but Donald Trump has never been most politicians. Throughout his career in business and politics, he’s made statements that have ranged from eyebrow-raising to jaw-dropping. While many of his comments grab headlines, some stand out as particularly shocking – not just for their content, but for how they reveal unusual beliefs and perspectives that most people would never expect from someone seeking the highest office in America.
Exercise is actually bad for you
While most Americans are encouraged to hit the gym regularly, Trump holds a completely opposite view. He believes the human body works like a battery – once you use up your energy, it’s gone forever. This isn’t just casual thinking either. According to former casino executive Jack O’Donnell, Trump actively discouraged his employees from exercising too much because he thought it would make them less effective at work.
Trump has explained his reasoning by pointing to friends who work out constantly and end up needing knee and hip replacements. He calls them “a disaster” and sees their medical problems as proof that exercise damages the body rather than helping it. Instead of traditional workouts, he prefers activities like walking up stairs in buildings under construction or playing golf. He even considers his campaign rallies a form of exercise because of all the hand gestures and stage movement involved.
Handshakes are completely barbaric
Most people see handshakes as basic politeness, but Trump considers them one of society’s worst customs. In his 1997 book, he called handshaking “barbaric” and described it as a curse of American society. His disgust with the practice goes so deep that he admits to being a “clean hands freak” who washes his hands as often as possible after any physical contact with other people.
This fear extends far beyond handshakes. Trump reportedly prefers drinking through straws, eating pizza with a fork, and avoiding elevator buttons whenever possible. He also dislikes when fans get too close for autographs or photos. Some experts suggest this germophobia influences his political views, particularly his stance on immigration. His obsession with cleanliness also explains why he prefers mass-produced fast food like McDonald’s and KFC over fine dining – he trusts the standardized preparation methods more than unknown kitchen conditions.
Appearance flaws are totally unacceptable
Small imperfections that most people barely notice can send Trump into a rage. Former casino executive Jack O’Donnell witnessed multiple incidents where Trump became furious over minor appearance issues. A cigarette butt on the carpet, scuffed shoes on an employee, or a loosened tie could trigger what O’Donnell described as “fearful tirades” filled with expletives. Trump viewed these small details as signs of sloppy thinking and poor character.
One particularly expensive example involved a television commercial that had cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to produce. Trump scrapped the entire advertisement because one of the models – described as incredibly beautiful – had a small mole on her face. He angrily called her “ugly” and a “three” out of ten, refusing to allow what he considered a flawed face in his commercial. Even something as minor as a limo driver wearing gray shoes with a dark suit could put Trump in a bad mood for an entire day.
Sleep gives competitors an unfair advantage
While doctors recommend seven to nine hours of sleep for adults, Trump sees extended sleep as a weakness that puts him at a disadvantage. He regularly sleeps only three to four hours per night and has been doing so for decades. In 1990, he told Playboy magazine that he’s “a guy who lies awake at night and thinks and plots.” He describes himself as someone who tosses and turns, constantly wanting to know what’s happening in the world.
Trump views his chronic insomnia as a competitive edge rather than a health problem. In his book “Think Like a Billionaire,” he advised readers not to sleep more than necessary, arguing that people who sleep ten hours can’t compete against someone who only needs four. This belief explains his habit of sending late-night tweets and making early morning phone calls. He genuinely believes that staying awake longer gives him more opportunities to get ahead of his competition while they’re unconscious and unproductive.
Baldness equals complete weakness
Hair loss might seem like a normal part of aging to most people, but Trump considers it a devastating sign of weakness. According to Jack O’Donnell, Trump once declared that “the worst thing a man can do is go bald.” This belief explains his extreme protectiveness of his famous comb-over, which has been the subject of countless articles and late-night comedy segments over the years.
Trump’s hair anxiety runs so deep that he once had a cashmere sweater cut off with scissors during a photo shoot rather than risk messing up his hairstyle by pulling it over his head. He’s also insisted that a person’s “look” is of utmost importance in life and business. When Jimmy Fallon asked to touch his hair on television, it marked a rare moment of vulnerability – something that definitely wouldn’t have happened in the 1990s when his hair protectiveness was even more extreme than it is today.
Asbestos removal was a mob conspiracy
Despite overwhelming scientific evidence that asbestos causes cancer and kills over 100,000 people annually worldwide, Trump has consistently defended the toxic material. In his 1997 book “The Art of the Comeback,” he claimed the movement against asbestos was led by organized crime because mob-related companies often handled the expensive removal process. He suggested politicians were pressured into banning what he called “incredible fire-proofing material.”
Trump has gone even further, claiming asbestos is “100 percent safe, once applied” despite federal safety officials stating there’s no safe level of exposure. In 2012, he tweeted that if asbestos hadn’t been removed from buildings and replaced with inferior materials, the World Trade Center would never have burned down. This statement ignored the fact that the towers collapsed from structural damage, not fire alone, and that asbestos exposure from the collapse actually caused serious health problems for first responders and nearby residents.
Howard Hughes was actually relatable
Howard Hughes became famous for extreme paranoia, refusing to cut his hair or nails, eating only chocolate and chicken, and spending his final years as a naked recluse watching movies with only a napkin covering his private parts. Most people would see Hughes as a cautionary tale about wealth and mental illness, but Trump views him as someone he can understand and relate to on a personal level.
In his 1990 book “Surviving at the Top,” Trump wrote that he finds himself thinking more and more about Howard Hughes and “even, to some degree, identifying with him.” While acknowledging that many people see Hughes as a symbol of weirdness, Trump seems to connect with the billionaire’s isolation and obsessive behaviors. This identification is particularly striking given Trump’s own germophobia and perfectionist tendencies, suggesting he sees Hughes not as a cautionary tale but as someone who understood the burdens of wealth and fame.
Fast food is safer than fine dining
While many wealthy people prefer expensive restaurants with celebrity chefs, Trump actively chooses McDonald’s, KFC, and other chain restaurants. His reasoning isn’t about taste preferences – it’s about safety and cleanliness standards. He believes that major fast-food chains have more consistent quality control than independent restaurants where “you have no idea where the food’s coming from.” This preference extends to his famous love of well-done steak, cooked so thoroughly that his longtime butler said “it would rock on the plate.”
Trump’s fast-food obsession ties directly to his germophobia and need for predictability. He told CNN’s Anderson Cooper that “one bad hamburger, you can destroy McDonald’s,” suggesting that massive corporations have more incentive to maintain food safety than smaller establishments. He openly admits he doesn’t like rich sauces or fine wines, preferring simple foods that meet his cleanliness standards. This explains why he’s been photographed eating pizza with a fork and drinking through straws – even familiar foods must meet his specific safety requirements.
Politicians always cave to pressure
Throughout his statements about asbestos, immigration, and various other issues, Trump consistently expresses a belief that politicians are weak-willed people who automatically give in to pressure rather than standing firm on principles. He sees this as a fundamental flaw in the political system, where leaders make decisions based on who’s pushing them hardest rather than what’s actually right or beneficial for the country.
This worldview explains many of his policy positions and his appeal to voters who feel frustrated with traditional politicians. Trump presents himself as someone who won’t be swayed by special interests, lobbyists, or popular pressure campaigns. He views his wealth and business success as insulation against the forces that he believes corrupt other politicians. Whether discussing asbestos regulations or trade deals, Trump consistently argues that previous leaders made bad decisions because they lacked the strength to resist pressure from various groups with competing interests rather than focusing on what he sees as common-sense solutions.
These statements reveal a worldview that’s fundamentally different from most Americans’ everyday experiences and beliefs. From seeing exercise as harmful to viewing fast food as safer than fine dining, Trump’s perspectives often contradict conventional wisdom and scientific consensus. Whether these unusual beliefs make him more relatable or more concerning likely depends on each voter’s own values and priorities when choosing their leaders.
