Former President Donald Trump is making his dissatisfaction clear regarding his portrait at the Colorado State Capitol.
He is now calling on Democratic Governor Jared Polis, whom he labels part of the âradical left,â to take down the artwork, which is displayed alongside portraits of other U.S. presidents.
Expressing his frustration on Truth Social, Trump remarked, âNobody likes an unflattering picture or painting of themselves.â
A âDeliberate Distortionâ
Trump has long emphasized the importance of being represented in a favorable lightâhe has even described himself as a âwonderful-looking man.â However, he is particularly unhappy with a portrait of him by artist Sarah Boardman that hangs in the Colorado State Capitol. He is urging Governor Polis to remove it, arguing that the painting was âpurposefully distortedâ to an extreme degree.
Trump also aimed Boardman, pointing out that she had previously painted former President Barack Obama and had done a good job.
âHe looks great, but my portrait is absolutely the worst,â Trump wrote on Truth Social. He further quipped, âShe must have lost her talent as she got older. Honestly, Iâd rather have no picture at all than this one.â
Hanging Since 2019
Trump claimed that numerous Colorado residents had reached out to him to voice their discontent over the portrait, stating, âThey are actually angry about it!â He said he was speaking on their behalf while calling on Governor Polisâwhom he criticized for being âweak on crimeââto take the painting down.
Whatâs unusual, however, is that the portrait has been displayed in the Capitol since 2019, during Trumpâs first term in office, yet he is only raising concerns about it now.
arah Boardman, a British-born artist based in Colorado Springs, has also painted portraits of former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. When unveiling Trumpâs portrait in 2019, she described it as âthoughtful, neutral, and non-confrontational.â She urged people to view it as a piece of portraiture rather than a political statement.
In response to Trumpâs remarks, a spokesperson for Governor Polis stated to Politico, saying the governor was âsurprised to learn that the former president has such a keen interest in our State Capitol and its artwork.â The statement went on to highlight the historic significance of the Capitol building, which was completed in 1901 and features portraits of past presidents and governors.
âWe appreciate the former presidentâs enthusiasm for our Capitol and always welcome opportunities to enhance the visitor experience,â the spokesperson added.