President Trump lambasted a portrait of himself hanging in the Colorado State Capitol Sunday that he claimed was “purposely distorted” – and called on “radical left” Gov. Jared Polis to take it down.
Trump unleashed a seemingly out-of-nowhere tirade on Truth Social about the painting that was first unveiled more than five years ago alongside other presidential portraits during the Republican’s first term in the Oval Office.
“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,” Trump raged.
“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.”
The painting hangs on the third-floor rotunda of the state Capitol and was created by Colorado Springs artist Sarah Boardman, according to a Denver Post article from 2019 when it was hung up.
Boardman told the newspaper at the time it was important to her that both Trump and Obama appeared apolitical in her paintings because the gallery of presidents is about the nation’s history and not just a single commander in chief.
“In today’s environment it’s all very upfront, but in another five, 10, 15 years he will be another president on the wall,” Boardman said. “And he needs to look neutral.”
An email to Boardman early Monday morning was not immediately returned.
The painting was commissioned after former Colorado senate president Kevin Grantham, a Republican, raised the necessary funds for it.
But Trump, now in his second term, said Sunday he “would much prefer not having a picture than having this one.”
He said people who live in the Centennial State have called in to complain and Polis, a Democrat, should respond to their objections.
“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,” Trump wrote in reference to the Venezuelan gang that terrorized a housing complex last year.
“Jared should be ashamed of himself!”
Polis appeared to take the presidential criticism in stride.
“Gov. Polis was surprised to learn the President of the United States is an aficionado of our Colorado State Capitol and its artwork,” a spokesperson for the governor told 9 News.
“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.”
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