Former President Donald Trump is calling for the removal of his portrait from the Colorado State Capitol, claiming the painting is “purposefully distorted.”
The portrait, created by Colorado-based artist Sarah Boardman and unveiled in 2019, depicts Trump in a dark blue suit and red tie.
“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 wrote on Truth Social on Sunday.
He also compared his portrait to that of former President Barack Obama, painted by the same artist. “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,” Trump said. “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. In fact, they are actually angry about it!”
Trump further criticized Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, calling him a “radical left governor who is extremely weak on crime” in reference to reports of the Tren de Aragua gang taking over an apartment complex in Aurora.
“Jared should be ashamed of himself!” he added.
Shelby Wieman, a spokesperson for Polis, responded to Trump’s remarks, saying the governor “was surprised to learn the President of the United States is an aficionado of our Colorado State Capitol and its artwork.”
“We appreciate the President and everyone’s interest in our capitol building and are always looking for any opportunity to improve our visitor experience,” Wieman added.