Was that the real Donald Trump standing beside Elon Musk at a Space X rocket launch the other day? Or was it a body double – a lookalike stand-in – who actually covered for the President-elect?

That’s the scuttlebutt that flooded social media, including Musk’s own X platform, after the images (at top) of the world’s richest man and the world’s dumbest man appeared online and in the media.

The Bug accepts that the face of Trump didn’t quite look right – as if it was photoshopped or air-brush somehow – but it got us to thinking: how often might this occur and how to doppelgangers get away with pretending to be one of the world’s most distinctive-looking and recognisable men?

And is a Trump stand-in used for security reasons if there’s a perceived danger to the incoming 47th president, or simply when a 78-year old man is just too tired to keep up the public appearances expected of him?

And how do these lookalikes manage to fool almost all of the people all of the time?

The Bug spoke to four of the almost-perfect imposters used by the US Secret Service and various government agencies to keep Trump safe from harm or over-exposure.

Bozo the 25th, former Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey performer, Boston.

“It’s the cap really. It’s just the cap. I’ve really got no idea how it works so well, considering how I look up there on stage. But I’m just grateful for the rally work I got during the recent US election, especially after my circus finally closed down earlier this year.”

Bruno the Bumbling Buffoon, independent circus performer, Salt Lake City.

“Bozo’s right. It’s mainly the cap which is really just there to hide Trump’s appalling orange combover which none of us really ever nails. How could you? But once during a recent campaign rally, I got the sinking feeling. even though I was mimicking Trump’s voice perfectly and mastering the weave, that some of the more senior media people present were starting to see through me so I pretended to give my microphone stand a hand and blow job which dispelled any doubts and perfectly saved my cover.”

Bepo the New, children’s party performer, San Francisco.

“I get plenty of work on the West Coast when President Trump is supposed to be over this side of the country. As Bruno explained, sometimes you can just sense that you’re not nailing your stand-in performance even when you’ve got the voice and weave down pat. In the recent debate performance, against Kamala Harris, I covered my tracks brilliantly and put any doubts as to my identity to rest by declaring she “put out” to get ahead in life. The kids love that line too.”

Jonny Fairweather, unemployed, Des Moines.

“I’ve never worked as a clown. I just like always dressing up as one so I was delighted when the secret service asked me to stand in for Trump back in July at an open-air campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania. They just handed me a MAGA cap and said that should do the trick. They had also done their research well and knew I was a bit of a pussy grabber. They told me: ‘Just grab one at random as you make your way on and off stage’. The gig paid well and they even covered the medical expenses after my ear got hurt.”

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