President Donald Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to vent his frustration about a portrait displayed of him in the Colorado state Capitol. Trump criticized the portrait as “distorted” and mistakenly blamed the state’s governor, Jared Polis, for its creation. In reality, the painting was commissioned by Republican State Sen. Kevin Grantham in 2018.
Trump provided no evidence to support his claim that the portrait was intentionally distorted. He compared it unfavorably to a portrait of Barack Obama, painted by the same artist, Sarah A. Boardman. Trump insulted Boardman’s talent and expressed a preference for not having a portrait at all.
Despite Trump’s assertions that Colorado residents were upset about the portrait, there is no evidence supporting this claim. He demanded that Governor Polis, whom he accused of being weak on crime, remove the painting from the Capitol.
The White House declined to comment on the matter, referring back to Trump’s social media post. The portrait was commissioned and hung in the Capitol by state Republicans, including Grantham, who raised funds for the project in 2018.
Governor Polis’ office responded by expressing surprise at Trump’s interest in the Capitol’s artwork and emphasized the historical significance of the building. They welcomed interest in the Capitol and stated a commitment to enhancing the visitor experience.
Efforts to obtain comments from Grantham and Boardman are ongoing.
