Relegated to Kamala Harris' shadow since she announced her candidacy for the US presidency, Donald Trump spent a few days soaking up the sun in Sierra Vista, Arizona. There, he paraded for several hours along the border with Mexico, reiterating the need to make it completely sealed off, before shaking some hands, namely those of Mark Dannels, sheriff of Cochise County, and Paul Perez, president of the National Border Patrol Council.
For the occasion, Trump didn't dress like a man on the ground. He wore his usual charmless navy blue suit and a red tie devoid of subtlety. On his feet, he had his usual pair of black Oxford shoes, inevitably exposed to sand and dust. Incongruous? Enough to remind us that in 1971, President Nixon was vilified for his excessive austerity after having been photographed, during a stroll on the beach, wearing strict black dress shoes as well. At the time, Nixon even had to justify himself: "But I'm more comfortable that way!"
To his left, Sheriff Mark Dannels was more appropriately dressed. On his head rested a cowboy-inspired hat, probably made of sisal, characterized by two very distinctive features. The hollow at the top, known as the "crown," allows a quicker grip, which is not a luxury on a galloping horse. The hat in question also had raised edges. Why? Quite simply, to reduce the risk of the lasso hitting them in mid-throw.
Paul Perez, for his part, showed up with his head uncovered, but with his eyes hidden behind some interesting sunglasses. These are the famous ShadowStrike sunglasses from Revision. Shock-resistant, anti-fog, anti-ultraviolet and featuring a nose-piece mechanism for quick and easy lens replacement, the sunglasses are widely worn by the US Army's elite corps. Are you spellbound? Then you should know that the shade chosen by Paul Perez was "Tan 499."
Finally, a word about the young woman on the left side of the picture, Alexis Nungaray. In June, her 12-year-old daughter, Jocelyn, was killed in Houston, Texas, by two men who had crossed the border illegally, according to preliminary findings. This mother now embodies Trump's anti-migrant rhetoric. That day, around her neck, Nungaray wore proof that borders are never completely sealed off. This series of pendants bears witness to the Mexican tradition of silver jewelry, the country being a major producer of this precious metal.
Translation of an original article published in French on lemonde.fr; the publisher may only be liable for the French version.