Fresh debate over Donald Trump’s height has emerged after footage showed him alongside Spanish soccer star Rodri.
Official medical records list Trump at six feet three inches, and he has made the same claim himself in past interviews.
In his most recent publicly released White House medical memo, Trump was listed at 75 inches and 224 pounds, while Rodri’s club profile has him at 190 cm, or 6 feet 3 inches. In other words, the two are officially listed at roughly the same height, even though photographs can make one appear taller than the other.
Even so, newly shared White House video has prompted more scrutiny after Trump was seen standing next to Rodri, the captain of Spain’s national team.
The two met following Spain’s 1-0 win over Argentina in the World Cup final, where Trump presented the World Cup trophy to Rodri and was among the select few allowed to touch it.
Photos from the pitch quickly drew attention because Rodri is also listed at six feet three inches.
When they are side by side, however, Trump appears visibly shorter than the midfielder, despite both men officially being the same height.
There are several possible reasons for that apparent mismatch.
Camera angles and perspective can significantly affect how people look in photos. A familiar example is the use of forced perspective in The Lord of the Rings, which helped make the hobbits seem much smaller.
Posture could also play a part, since the way a person stands can influence whether they look taller or shorter in a still image.
Still, the images have led plenty of people online to question whether Trump’s stated height is accurate.
One person joked:
“Someone should tell the WH that Rodri is 6’3”.”
Another post said:
“Donald Trump’s official measurements: 6 feet 3 inches tall and 224 lbs.
“Rodri’s official measurements: 6 feet 3 inches tall and 196 lbs. Who’s lying?”
This is far from the first time Trump’s height has become a talking point, with similar comparisons surfacing in the past.
In fact, the issue goes back decades. Speaking to the New York Times in 1999, Trump said: “I photograph short. I’m six foot three.”
More recently, people made similar observations when Trump appeared beside King Willem of the Netherlands, whose reported height falls somewhere between six feet two and six feet three.
Although Trump’s listed height would suggest the two should appear roughly the same, photos from their diplomatic meetings seemed to show him looking shorter than the Dutch king.
If the official figure is correct, Trump would rank as the third tallest president in US history.
Abraham Lincoln remains the tallest, at six feet four inches, or 193 cm, and that is without taking into account the famous top hat he was known for wearing.
Lyndon B. Johnson comes next at six feet three and a half inches, or 192 cm.
Another famous leader often remembered as unusually short is Napoleon Bonaparte, though that reputation is somewhat misleading.
Napoleon was actually around five feet six, which was roughly average in France during that period. Historians have also noted that he was often surrounded by Old Guard grenadiers, who were selected for their large and imposing stature, making him look shorter by comparison.
The White House has been approached for comment.