In practical terms, Thursday’s meeting at the White House was an unremarkable affair, as Donald Trump welcomed technology investor Michael Dell and his wife, Susan.

The couple have previously donated more than $6 billion to the US president for Trump Accounts, a special investment scheme for children created by Trump himself and named after him… to honour himself! The US president returned the favour by inviting them to the White House. However, it was not the couple’s financial commitment that subsequently dominated public discussion, but Susan Dell’s appearance

Who is Susan Dell, and why has she attracted so much attention?

The 62-year-old was subjected, primarily online, to a huge wave of mockery, spite and hatred. Her face was described as “terrifying”, an “absolute nightmare” and resembling an “alien” – just some of the milder comments.

Susan Dell, wife of Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell, encouraged families to register for Trump Accounts while speaking alongside the president on Wednesday. After Mrs. Dell’s speech, President Trump asked Mr. Dell whether his wife was considering running for office and gave her his "complete and total endorsement." The Dells previously pledged a donation of $6.25 billion to the Trump Accounts.

— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 7, 2026

Dell appeared at the meeting wearing heavy make-up. Her face looked rigid, her chin pointed, her cheekbones particularly prominent and her eyes seemed disproportionately large. Users noted that her appearance had changed dramatically in recent years, especially compared with her husband’s. However, she is more than simply “the woman standing by his side”.

Michael Dell founded the eponymous computer company in 1984. Four years later, he met his future wife, Susan, and the couple married in October 1989.

Susan Dell, who is passionate about endurance sports in her private life, initially worked in real estate before becoming a self-employed fashion designer. Today, she works for the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, which she and her husband founded together. Through the foundation, the Dells engage in philanthropic activities and, according to their own statements, support projects in healthcare, education and economic opportunity with billions of dollars. According to People, the foundation has allocated approximately $10 billion in total to non-profit organisations and social initiatives.

🚨Susan Dell came to the White House with $6.25 billion for American kids but the internet noticed her appearance and is speculating whether she’s an alien or not https://t.co/tfYn77DApj

— Eric Deters (@bulllaw) October 9, 2026

Trump, who appeared to be sleepy, seemed impressed by Susan Dell

During her appearance at the White House, Susan Dell spoke alongside a seemingly sleepy US president, telling her audience that children in the United States should “dream big” and that “we know you can make those dreams come true”.

Despite appearing drowsy, Trump seemed impressed by her appearance and lavished praise on her. “Is she thinking about running for political office?” he asked her husband, Michael. He said she was not, but Trump persisted, saying he would support her immediately if she changed her mind.

The Dells’ commitment to Trump Accounts does not appear to be exclusively philanthropic. Around six months after the couple announced that they intended to support the US president’s initiative, the Pentagon awarded Dell a contract worth $9.7 trillion. In July last year, Trump also urged American citizens to buy a Dell computer. “We’ll get the money back to him one way or another,” he said, looking at Michael Dell and his large donation to Trump Accounts.

‘Mar-a-Lago face’

On social media, however, discussion of the White House meeting focused on Susan Dell. Users said they recognised similar facial features in other women, including First Lady Melania Trump, former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Laura Loomer, an influencer associated with the MAGA movement – women who belong to the Republican president’s inner circle.

The intensity of the online reaction brought renewed attention to the term “Mar-a-Lago face”, which has begun to be used in the United States to describe a particular look seen among women in Trump’s social and political circles.

The term refers to the US president’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida and describes a look characterised by full lips, pronounced cheekbones, very white teeth, a sharply defined jawline and limited facial movement, as Summer Jaber, a dermatologist at a renowned New York beauty clinic, explained to USA Today. These features can be achieved through fillers, Botox and facelifts, although it is not known whether Susan Dell herself has undergone any cosmetic procedures, or, if so, which ones.

According to Axios, cosmetic surgeons across the country were already reporting an increase in requests for a “Mar-a-Lago face” around a year ago. As New York-based plastic surgeon Newman Kligal explained to the Huffington Post, this “puffed-up look” is about feeling that one belongs somewhere. In MAGA circles, many women, particularly wealthy ones, have a similar appearance. “When you see it over and over again, it becomes the norm. A face that eliminates all signs of ageing.”

Experts have also described the phenomenon known as “filler blindness”, in which the repeated use of fillers can gradually alter a person’s perception of what constitutes a natural or balanced result. This is, however, a general aesthetic trend and not a confirmed description of Susan Dell’s own choices.

Her recent appearance at the White House was not the first contact between the Dell family and Trump. Their relationship has become more visible during his second presidential term, largely because of the couple’s substantial financial support for the Trump Accounts programme.