A portrait of himself hanging in Denver, Colorado, left President Donald Trump displeased. It prompted him to compare it to the one created for former President Barack Obama and blamed the state’s governor for keeping it displayed.
On March 24, 2025, President Donald Trump used the Truth Social platform to post a picture of his portrait currently displayed at the Colorado State Capitol. He expressed his dislike for the painting and stated that he wanted it removed.
President Donald Trump waves while entering the arena during the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships on March 22, 2025, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Source: Getty Images
The post included a framed image showing the president wearing a dark suit, red tie, and white shirt. In the portrait, he appeared serious, looking directly ahead. Trump captioned the post, writing, “Nobody likes a bad picture or painting of themselves…”
He claimed that the portrait and others featuring previous presidents were installed by Governor Jared Polis. Trump alleged that it “was purposefully distorted to a level that even I, perhaps, have never seen before.” He noted that the same artist who painted his portrait also did former President Barack Obama’s, which he said “looks wonderful.”
However, Trump argued that “the one on me is truly the worst,” and accused the artist of having “lost her talent as she got older.” He continued, “In any event, I would much prefer not having a picture than having this one, but many people from Colorado have called and written to complain.”
The politician went on to say, “In fact, they are actually angry about it!” Speaking on behalf of his supporters, the president urged officials “to take it down,” and concluded that Polis “should be ashamed of himself!”
In reality, Polis had no involvement in commissioning or displaying the portrait. It was Colorado Republicans who raised funds to hire Sarah A. Boardman to create the painting. In 2018, former Senate President Kevin J. Grantham launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise $10,000 for the artwork.
The fundraiser ultimately brought in $10,884. Boardman, alongside Colorado Senate Republicans, hosted a public unveiling event on August 1, 2019, at the state capitol. Grantham officially unveiled the portrait of the 45th President of the US.
Before revealing the portrait, the former Senate president stated, “Whether this portrait brings a smile or scowl to your face, remember you have the right to do so because this is the United States of America.” The painting now hangs in the Rotunda. Since the president’s post went live, Colorado’s governor has responded.
On the same day, through a spokesperson, Polis shared a statement with a news agency. It read, “Gov. Polis was surprised to learn the President of the United States is an aficionado of our Colorado State Capitol and its artwork.”
The spokesperson highlighted that the State Capitol, completed in 1901, features Rose Onyx and White Yule Marble sourced from Colorado. The statement also explained that the building includes portraits of past presidents and governors.
It concluded, “We appreciate the President and everyone’s interest in our capitol building and are always looking for any opportunity to improve our visitor experience.”
An attendee later shared several photos from the event on Facebook. The images showed the unveiling, podium speeches, and how Trump’s portrait was displayed alongside those of other former presidents, including Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton.
Netizens have since reacted to the controversy. One person wrote, “They did him dirty,” while another commented, “He’s right. That looks nothing like him.” Someone firmly stated, “Donald Trump is not happy about this portrait and to be fair, it looks nothing like him.”
In response to what appeared to be an edited version of the original portrait, one person said, “I can’t put my finger on it, but something isn’t right about that picture.”