As Halloween approaches, Canadian costume shops are noticing a significant decline in demand for Donald Trump costumes. Once a popular choice, dressing as the former U.S. president is no longer seen as humorous in 2025.

Christy Greenwood, owner of Theatre Garage in Edmonton, stated, "Certainly I haven’t set up somebody dressing up like Trump in a very long time. And I think a lot of it very much has to do with the rhetoric of the 51st state." In 2016, when Trump was the Republican nominee, many customers sought out blond wigs and makeup to mimic his distinctive appearance. Greenwood recalled that her shop even found a clown makeup color called auguste to replicate Trump's skin tone.

However, interest in Trump costumes began to wane after he won the presidency. The decline was evident when Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid faced backlash for wearing a Trump costume at a Halloween party in 2016. He defended his choice, saying, "It’s a Halloween costume, that’s all it was."

In Hamilton, the situation is similar. Catriona Cameron, assistant manager at Theatrix, noted that inquiries for Trump wigs have dropped to zero this year. She mentioned that customers are now more interested in dressing as Canadian icons, such as Mounties. Cameron also observed a trend where customers request to remove American flags from costumes, stating, "If we had an astronaut (costume) with an American flag, they’ve asked to have it removed."

Shoppers at Theatre Garage echoed this sentiment. Niamh Dower remarked, "It’s a little played out right now," adding that she generally avoids political costumes. Stephanie Labute acknowledged that Trump is viewed as "kind of a joke right now to most of us in Canada," but she still found humor in the idea of dressing as him. She even tried on a Trump wig and mimicked his gestures, saying, "I don’t see anything wrong with it. I know if Trump saw that, he’d think people are mocking him, but he always thinks people are mocking him, so what else is new?"

Dan Sims expressed a more cautious view, stating, "It’s probably not something I would do, but you know what? He’s orange, bad hair — easy costume to do."

Greenwood noted that the decline in interest is not limited to Trump. Demand for all U.S. celebrity costumes has decreased this year. Popular choices like dressing as members of the rock band Kiss or pop star Katy Perry have also seen a drop in requests. Greenwood mentioned that her shop has not outfitted a single customer as Katy Perry this Halloween, despite having a specific wig available.

Instead, customers are opting for classic Halloween costumes such as clowns and vampires. Greenwood remarked, "I think this Halloween is a vacation from all the rhetoric and stuff." She also noted a growing interest among customers in supporting Canadian-made products, with many asking about the origins of the items they purchase. "Canadians are really, truly going out of their way to support Canadian industry as much as possible," she said.