Former President Donald Trump has called for the removal of his portrait from the Colorado State Capitol, claiming the painting is unflattering and intentionally distorted.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with the artwork, stating, “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.” He added that many Colorado residents have voiced complaints about the portrait, prompting him to contact Governor Jared Polis for its removal.
A spokesperson for Governor Polis responded to the controversy, telling Denver’s 9News that the governor was “surprised to learn the President of the United States is an aficionado of our Colorado State Capitol and its artwork.” The statement added that the state welcomes interest in its capitol and is always looking to improve the visitor experience.
The portrait in question was not commissioned by Polis or any political opponent of Trump. Instead, it was funded through private donations collected by Colorado Citizens for Culture, a grassroots organization supporting the arts. The group initially struggled to raise the $10,000 required for the portrait, prompting then-State Senate President Kevin Grantham to launch a GoFundMe campaign in 2018. The fundraiser quickly met its goal in just over a day, with support from approximately 200 donors, including notable state Republicans and a former Democratic state representative.
The painting, created by Colorado Springs-based artist Sarah A. Boardman, was unveiled in August 2019 during a bipartisan ceremony at the State Capitol. Boardman, who also painted Barack Obama’s portrait for the Capitol, stated at the time that she aimed to match the classical realist style of previous presidential portraits. “My portrait of President Trump has been called thoughtful, non-confrontational, not angry, not happy, not tweeting,” she said. “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.”
The controversy surrounding Trump’s portrait is not the first time an image of the former president has sparked debate in Colorado’s Capitol. In 2018, before the official portrait was commissioned, activists from ProgressNow Colorado placed a framed picture of Russian President Vladimir Putin in the empty space reserved for Trump’s portrait as a protest against Russian influence in U.S. politics. The incident drew national attention and disciplinary action against the legislative staffer involved.
Trump’s dissatisfaction with his Colorado portrait is reminiscent of past presidential reactions to their official likenesses. Theodore Roosevelt famously despised his White House portrait by French artist Theobald Chartran, calling it unflattering and ultimately having it destroyed. Whether Trump’s portrait in Colorado faces a similar fate remains uncertain. However, reports indicate that Trump was recently gifted a portrait by a leading Russian artist, commissioned by Putin, which he reportedly appreciated.
As the debate over the Colorado portrait unfolds, state officials have yet to announce any plans to remove or replace the artwork.
