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Donald Trump is fuming over his official portrait hanging in the Colorado State Capitol, slamming it as “purposefully distorted” and demanding its removal. The 78-year-old took to Truth Social to vent his frustration, comparing it to his predecessor Barack Obama’s portrait.
“He looks wonderful,” Trump raged online. “But the one on me is truly the worst.”
Trump’s Spot Left Empty – Until a Putin Stunt Sparked Outrage
For over two years of his presidency, Trump’s face was missing from the Capitol’s presidential gallery because no donors came forward to fund it. Unlike other official portraits, these artworks rely solely on private donations, and in Trump’s case, the money just wasn’t flowing.
That changed in July 2018 when a cheeky activist from ProgressNow Colorado placed a portrait of Russian strongman Vladimir Putin in Trump’s vacant spot, setting off a firestorm. Furious Trump supporters rushed to raise the $10,000 needed, hitting the target in just 32 hours.
“It’s only fitting that a populist, such as the president, would have the first crowd-funded campaign for a presidential portrait,” said former state senate president Kevin Grantham, who led the fundraising efforts.
Artist Who Painted Obama Took on Trump’s Portrait
British-born artist Sarah A. Boardman, now based in Colorado Springs, was chosen for the task. She had previously painted Barack Obama’s official portrait and stepped in after longtime presidential artist Lawrence Williams passed away in 2003.
At the time of its unveiling in August 2019, Boardman’s portrait of Trump was met with little controversy. She described it as “thoughtful, non-confrontational, not angry, not happy, not tweeting.”
“In five, 10, 15, 20 years, he will be another president on the wall who is only historical background, and he needs to look neutral,” she explained.
For Trump allies, including state representative Kevin Van Winkle, it was a proud moment. “It’s a great day to be an American,” Van Winkle declared.
Trump Now Wants Portrait Gone – Says It’s ‘The Worst’
Fast forward nearly six years, and Trump has had a major change of heart. Now, he’s ripping into the portrait, calling it an unfair depiction.
“Nobody likes a bad picture or painting of themselves,” he griped on Truth Social. “The artist also did President Obama, and he looks wonderful, but the one on me is truly the worst. She must have lost her talent as she got older.”
He went on to say he’d “much prefer not having a picture than having this one” and claimed “many people from Colorado have called and written to complain.”
Trump Wields 1798 Law for Mass Deportations
The former president’s latest outburst over his portrait comes as he revives an 18th-century law to ramp up deportations. Last week, he dusted off the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to speed up the removal of what he calls an “invasion” by Tren de Aragua, a violent Venezuelan gang.
The law, last used during World War II to round up and detain over 120,000 Japanese Americans, gives the president sweeping powers to deport individuals from nations deemed a threat.
Also Read: Trump Weighs In On JFK Assassination, Speculates On Possible Conspiracies
