Donald Trump has requested the removal of his portrait, labeling it as “truly the worst”.
The US president stated that the portrait created by British artist Sarah Boardman, currently displayed in Colorado’s State Capitol, was “deliberately distorted”.
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, he remarked: “Nobody enjoys a poor depiction or painting of themselves, but the one in Colorado, in the State Capitol, put up by the Governor, alongside all other Presidents, was distorted to a degree that even I, perhaps, have never seen before.”
He noted that a portrait of former US president Barack Obama by the same artist was “wonderful”, but insisted that “the one of me is truly the worst”.
Speaking about the artist, who also created a portrait of former president George W. Bush, Mr. Trump commented, “she must have lost her talent as she got older”.
He further expressed, “In any case, I would much rather not have a picture at all than to have this one.”
Mr. Trump’s portrait by Boardman has been displayed in the State Capitol since 2019, and the reason for his complaint on Sunday night remains unclear.
Sarah Boardman. Pic: AP
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The president, who began his second term in the White House with his swearing-in on January 20, directed his appeal to the “Radical Left Governor, Jared Polis” regarding the removal.
The 78-year-old asserted he was vocalizing the sentiments of “many people from Colorado” who were “upset” about the portrait and wished for its removal.
He concluded his post with: “Jared should be ashamed of himself!”
Upon the portrait’s unveiling in 2019, Boardman shared photos online and described it as a “great day”.
She stated: “Please remain respectful – this is about portraiture, not politics.”
The artist’s website mentions: “Sarah believes that the ultimate challenge is to capture the ‘personality, character and soul’ of an individual in a two-dimensional format.”
“She employs a mix of realism and painterly elements designed to engage the viewer with the piece.”
