By Joe Raedle/Getty Images.

On Thursday morning, the president of the United States, the commander in chief of the armed forces, the guy who signs executive orders, got mad at a news anchor. In retaliation, he claimed she got plastic surgery:

Trump was lashing out at Mika Brzezinski, host of Morning Joe and a person with whom he was once friendly. Though Trump says he doesnt watch the program anymore, the tweets came after Brzezinski said on the show, Nothing makes a man feel better than making a fake cover of a mag about himself, lying every day and destroying the country (shes referring to the fake Time magazine cover that hangs in several of his golf clubs). Its a crude statement thats earned outrage even from members of the party Trump theoretically leads, but also a typical response from a public figure who has a rocky history of handling embarrassment.

While the unprecedented attack on a news figure by the president of the United States brought up all manner of reasons to slap ones forehead, let us take this chance to focus in on a particular: this plastic surgery thing. Plastic surgery is a fairly normalized practice, especially in Los Angeles and New York, especially among the moneyed elite of those cities. And Donald Trump is a moneyed elite from such a coastal province, one whos demonstrated a fascination with the more superficial qualities throughout his life. Is it possible that he himself has gone under the knife, making his Thursday tweets both indefensible and hypocritical? Ivana Trumps divorce deposition, which was recounted in The Many Lives of Donald J. Trump by author Harry Hurt III may have some answers.

In 1990, Ivana Trump said under oath that her husband flew into a fit of rage due to the pain and displeasure with a scalp reduction surgery, performed in 1989. Also known as alopecia reduction, the surgery is intended to correct balding, and involves cutting the bald spot out and sewing the remaining skin back together. The tightened scalp can cause headaches and swelling. The man who allegedly performed the surgery was Ivanas own doctor, Dr. Steven Hoefflin. Hes most famous for extending his services to Michael Jackson, Elizabeth Taylor, and Joan Rivers, among other stars. Hoefflin also performed liposuction on the chin and waist of our now president, according to Ivanas deposition. (She rescinded part of the deposition, which included rape allegations, in a 2015 statement).

So not only did Trump himself possibly once have plastic surgery, but his Trump Taj Mahal once offered $25,000 worth of plastic surgery to a casino winner. At this point its not odd that Trump would act hypocritically on any subject, especially appearance, especially womens appearance (see his comments on Carly Fiorina, Megyn Kelly, Arianna Huffington, Rosie ODonnell, Heidi Klum, Alicia Machado, and Ted Cruzs wife). But you do have to wonder why he would offer up a reason to drudge up this unsavory association, one that he and his lawyers have gone to great lengths to strike down. In the Lost Tycoon, Trump denied both the incident and the plastic surgery, going out of his way to swipe at Hunt in the process. Its obviously false, Trump also said in 1993, according the Daily Beast, and originally reported by Newsday. Its incorrect and done by a guy without much talent [Hunt] is a guy that is an unattractive guy who is a vindictive and jealous person.

Interesting word choice there.

Losing to wind next to his helicopter in Scotland.

Losing to wind at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.

Losing to wind as he heads to Indiana.

Losing to wind while hes in Scotland to discuss bankrolling an anti-wind-farm campaign in order to fight an off-shore development near his luxury golf resort.

Losing to wind in the presence of Tom Brady.

Losing to wind while waving.

Putting up a good fight but ultimately losing to wind in Scotland.

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Losing to wind next to his helicopter in Scotland.

By Michael McGurk/Alamy.

Losing to wind at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.

By Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images.

Losing to wind as he heads to Indiana.

By Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images.

Losing to wind while hes in Scotland to discuss bankrolling an anti-wind-farm campaign in order to fight an off-shore development near his luxury golf resort.

By Danny Lawson/PA/A.P.

Losing to wind while he talks to Patriots owner Robert Kraft before a game.

From Splash News.

Losing to wind at the house on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland, where his mother was born before she immigrated to the United States in 1929.

From PA/Alamy.

Losing to wind while boarding the Marine One helicopter at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.

By Jonathan Ernst/Reuters.

Losing to wind while leaving One World Trade in New York.

By Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images.

Losing to wind in the presence of Tom Brady.

From Boston Herald/Splash News.

Losing to wind while waving.

By Rob Carr/Getty Images.

Putting up a good fight but ultimately losing to wind in Scotland.

By Michael McGurk/Rex/Shutterstock.

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A Brief Recap of Donald Trump's Own Alleged Plastic Surgery - Vanity Fair