Bangladesh’s ‘Trump Buffalo’ hits global media

A rare albino buffalo from a farm in Bangladesh’s Narayanganj district has become a global internet sensation after social media users likened its flowing golden mane to the signature hairstyle of US President Donald Trump, report different international news agencies.

Nicknamed “Donald Trump” by the farm owner’s younger brother, the nearly 700kg (1,540lb) animal quickly drew dozens of visitors daily, with many travelling long distances to take selfies and videos alongside the unusually coloured creature.

International media outlets including Reuters, AFP, Euronews, France24, The Indian Express, The Times of India, The Dawn, The South China Morning Post, The Manila Times, Bangkok Post, picked up the story, the buffalo’s photogenic blond locks and calm demeanour turned it into one of the biggest crowd-pullers of Bangladesh’s Eid-ul-Azha season.

Visitor Faisal Ahmed told AFP: “Truly, the features are similar between the buffalo and President Donald Trump”. Farm owner Ziauddin Mridha noted that despite its striking appearance, the buffalo is “very calm by nature” and not aggressive unless provoked.

The craze even drew diplomatic ribbing. The official X account of Iran in Russia posted a video of the buffalo with the caption “Poor thing! Bangladeshi buffalo upset by comparisons to Donald Trump,” a sharp dig amid ongoing US-Iran tensions. The post, which also cited a Russian state media report claiming the animal had lost its appetite because of the sudden fame, went viral and added a geopolitical twist to the otherwise lighthearted story.

In a twist that has fascinated and saddened many online, the albino buffalo was already sold for ritual sacrifice ahead of Eid al-Adha. “I am going to miss Donald Trump, but that is the core spirit of Eid-ul-Azha, making a sacrifice,” Mridha told AFP. The four-year old buffalo, which required four baths and four meals a day, was reportedly stressed by the constant crowds and had lost some weight before being delivered to its buyer.

For the farm owner and his family, however, the viral sensation brought welcome economic relief as ticket buying visitors and local media attention turned the buffalo into a seasonal moneymaker before its scheduled sacrifice.

The story's virality was also boosted by coverage from Hong Kong's HK01 and statements from Iran's embassy in Russia, who shared the story on social media as a political rift.

Regional outlets like The Sunday Guardian Live and LiveMint also contributed to the viral spread, cementing the story as a truly global news phenomenon.