Donald Trump's true height revealed in telling photo with Dutch King

As Donald Trump laid his talk of pulling out of NATO to bed, to host the King and Queen of the Netherlands on Monday, one crucial detail emerged as he and wife Melania posed for a photograph with the couple.

During a routine photograph, Trump seemingly stood around a foot in front of everyone else, hinting that his officially listed height of 6’3” may no longer be accurate, as he was visibly shorter than King Willem, who himself measures between 6’2” to 6’3”.

Throughout his presidency and campaign trails, Trump has always insisted he was 6 foot 3 inches in height, making him the third tallest president on record behind Abraham Lincoln (6’5”) and Lyndon B Johnson (6’4”).

Last April, the White House’s own release of the President’s medical evaluation indicated that he had a height of 75 inches, translating to 6’3”, and if accurate would place him shoulder to shoulder with King Willem-Alexander.

Trump appeared visibly shorter in several images (Win McNamee / Getty Images)

Yet this does not appear to be the case in Monday’s photograph, which showed Trump standing at least two to three inches shorter than Willem-Alexander.

To try and stop this appearing as obvious, the president opted to take photographs standing roughly 12 inches (or a foot) in front of the King and Queen, as well as his own wife Melania.

What could cause shrinking?

There are several causes for shrinking in height, particularly for someone as old as the President, who turns 80 later this year.

Many changes are often age related and can begin as early as 40, with an average loss of around 0.5inches a decade.

They include:

• Spinal Disc Degeneration: The 23 gel-like discs between vertebrae dry out and become thinner, resulting in decreased height.
• Osteoporosis & Bone Density Loss: Weakened vertebrae can compress or develop micro-fractures, significantly decreasing height.
• Muscle Loss (Sarcopenia): A reduction in core strength leads to a more stooped posture and reduced ability to stay upright.
• Flattening Foot Arches: Over time, the arches of the feet may fall, contributing to a lower overall height.

The President mitigated some of the height difference by standing closer to the camera (Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images)

Is there any way to reverse it or slow it down?

While you cannot completely stop the natural aging process, you can partially reverse age-related shrinking caused by postural changes, muscle loss, and spinal compression. Through consistent exercise—specifically weight-bearing exercises, resistance training, and posture correction—along with adequate protein, calcium, and vitamin D intake, you can regain lost height and strengthen bones.

While some reduction is natural, the Cleveland Clinic states that losing 2-4 inches is not normal.