With 2026 here, you may be tempted to reinvent yourself. And just like you, some of the most influential politicians have a documented history of doing so. From folks like former congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene to civil rights icon Andrew Young, these leaders are proof that it’s okay to change your mind and revamp your image. In fact, American politics might just demand it!
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Given all the change coming through the new year, The Root is revisiting some of the most legendary rebranding moments in history…and they’re not all positive evolutions either. Sit back, grab some popcorn and get into these drama-filled attempts by political figures to rebrand themselves.
Marjorie Taylor Greene
No politician saw a bigger rebranding effort than former Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. At the start of 2025, Greene was regarded as one of President Donald Trump’s most loyal followers, but a year full of Jeffrey Epstein file discrepancies, sending in the National Guard to U.S. cities and criticisms of the Republican party, Greene officially made her exit from the MAGA movement and Congress on Monday (Jan. 5).
Greene’s rebrand from a staunch Trump supporter to one of his boldest critics certainly has won her praise from Democrats like Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who commended her for finally seeing the light.
Candace Owens
Conservative pundit Candace Owens admitted in June her regret for voting for Trump. The switch came as concerns that Trump is funding unnecessary wars continued to swirl.
Things came to a head in September, however, when Owens’ friend and far-right podcaster Charlie Kirk was assassinated. She went from being a die-hard follower of MAGA and Trump to now having all the smoke for Turning Point USA and Ben Shapiro in a rebrand for the history books.
Nicki Minaj
While Owens seems to be leaning more left nowadays, rapper Nicki Minaj has rapidly become of the the newest Black icons championing Trump’s right agenda. Minaj has spent her decorated career generally steering clear of politics, but in recent weeks, she’s been slowly aligning herself with Trump and his conservative allies. We previously told you all about how Minaj had suddenly become a supporter of Trump’s policies and Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA.
She even joined hands with Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s widow, while walking out to her song “Super Bass” in front of the TPUSA crowd. “This administration is full of people with heart and soul, and they make me proud of them. Our vice president [JD Vance], he makes me…well, I love both of them,” Minaj told the crowd.
George W. Bush
Before he was besties with the Obama family or lost his father, George H.W. Bush, former President George W. Bush was regarded as one of the most hated presidents in modern history. Sure he was reelected to the White House, but that was only after getting the country to back wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, all over a lie.
After it was exposed that no weapons of mass destruction existed– which was Bush’s defense for entering the war– the country turned on him. He left the White House with an abysmal approval rating. It wasn’t until years later that Bush would resurface as a family man and relatable figure, GQ reported.
Clarence Thomas
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has never been the most liked on the court bench. But an effort by conservatives and wealthy donors continues to clean up his image.
Allegations of sexual harassment in the ’90s, a history of anti-Black rulings and the acceptance of lavish gifts have all but ruined Thomas’ credibility within the Black community. Meanwhile, conservatives view him as one of the most poised and balanced justices in history.
Bill Clinton
Former President Bill Clinton might just be the most charming U.S. president in history. It’s his charisma that often makes folks forget about his three strikes bill, which disproportionately targeted Black men and exacerbated the mass incarceration system. People often outweigh his charm compared to Clinton’s past scandals– infamously the one surrounding former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
Instead, Clinton has rebranded his image as one of the most relatable and even “the first Black president” in history. In 2015, he admitted regret for passing the mass incarceration law, BBC reported.
Andrew Young
Andrew Young was known for his work in the Civil Rights Movement. That was until he decided to do more for the people in Atlanta. After a push from Coretta Scott King, Young ran for mayor of the Southern city and won. His rebrand for controversial civil rights leader to the second Black mayor of Atlanta is one often studied.
He built on the legacy of Maynard Jackson, the first Black Atlanta mayor, by fostering economic development and inclusion. He served in Congress and even launched a failed bid for Georgia governor.
Donald Trump
Within the past decade, Trump made a drastic career change after riding down that fateful escalator in 2015. That was the launch of his political career and ultimate rebrand.
Before entering politics, Donald Trump was a polarizing businessman and a fixture in Hollywood. From his NBC reality TV show, “The Apprentice,” which aired for 10 seasons, to his long-standing ties to Playboy magazine, Trump’s path to the White House was unprecedented.
Rachel Dolezal
It’s been a decade since Rachel Dolezal shocked the nation. In 2015, she was exposed for pretending to be a Black woman, but up until that point, Dolezal’s rebrand was working. Born to white parents, Dolezal soon became obsessed with race and ways to make herself look Black. The activist even tanned her skin and wore curly wigs and braids in order to live out her “truth”– even though it was a bold-faced lie.
Now, she’s rebranded…yet again. Although you’ll still catch her wearing an afro, the former NAACP president has loosened her grip on dark spray tans and now embraced her actual race.
Ronald Reagan
When we speak about political rebrands, former President Ronald Regan is exactly who we mean! Before becoming one of the most controversial presidents in American history, Reagan’s claim to political fame opened the flood gates for people like Trump.
Reagan was known in Hollywood for his acting skills. He spent decades in Hollywood before making the jump into local politics. By 1967, Reagan had rebranded himself from failing actor to governor of California. As we all know, the Republican would go on to run for president and win…twice.
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