‘Purposefully distorted’: Trump scorches his own portrait on display in one state
PALM BEACH, Florida – President Donald Trump is not thrilled, to say the least, about a portrait of himself on display in Colorado’s Capitol.
In a message posted on Truth Social Sunday night, Trump said: “Nobody likes a bad picture or painting of themselves, but the one in Colorado, in the State Capitol, put up by the Governor, along with all other Presidents, was purposefully distorted to a level that even I, perhaps, have never seen before.
“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.
“In any event, I would much prefer not having a picture than having this one, but many people from Colorado have called and written to complain. In fact, they are actually angry about it!
“I am speaking on their behalf to the Radical Left Governor, Jared Polis, who is extremely weak on Crime, in particular with respect to Tren de Aragua, which practically took over Aurora (Don’t worry, we saved it!), to take it down. Jared should be ashamed of himself!”
Two minutes after his original complaint, Trump posted his own new official photographic portrait on Truth Social.
Philadelphia radio host Rich Zeoli clowned about the painting of Trump on Fox News Monday morning, saying: “Obviously he’s bloated in that picture and that’s not the way he looks in real life. But certainly, if he lays off the McDonald’s, it’s gonna help him, and that’s what Bobby Kennedy’s all about, right?”
“That’s a dumb picture, but hey, is it as bad as anything Hunter Biden did? No, he didn’t blow art through a straw.”
In a statement to 9NEWS Sunday night, a spokesperson for the governor said, “Gov. Polis was surprised to learn the President of the United States is an aficionado of our Colorado State Capitol and its artwork.
“The State Capitol was completed in 1901, and features Rose Onyx and White Yule Marble mined in Colorado, and includes portraits of former Presidents and former governors. We appreciate the President and everyone’s interest in our capitol building and are always looking for any opportunity to improve our visitor experience.”
The Trump portrait was painted by Sarah A. Boardman, a British-born artist based in Colorado Springs.
At the painting’s unveiling ceremony, Boardman indicated she was trying to match the classical realist style of Lawrence Williams, the artist who had painted all 43 previous presidential portraits, and who died in 2003.
She said it took approximately four months to paint Trump, basing it on a photo approved by the Capitol Building Advisory Committee.
“My portrait of President Trump has been called thoughtful, non-confrontational, not angry, not happy, not tweeting,” Boardman said at the time, according to Time magazine.
“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.”
Watch local news coverage of the painting’s unveiling during Trump’s first term:
Trump’s Colorado portrait was a Republican initiative FIVE years ago, It had nothing to do with the governor.
Watch this! It’s hilarious! pic.twitter.com/X26WsaGfzM
— Republican (@Sjacobs2020) March 24, 2025
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