Colorado lawmakers agree to take down Trump portrait after president's criticism
Listen to article
A portrait of President Donald Trump hanging in the Colorado state Capitol will be removed this week after Trump criticised it as 'purposefully distorted' and requested its removal on social media.
In a post on his Truth Social platform Sunday night, Trump said he would prefer not having a portrait at all than the one currently displayed in Denver.
'Nobody likes a bad picture or painting of themselves, but the one in Colorado… was purposefully distorted to a level that even I, perhaps, have never seen before,' he wrote.
On Monday, the Colorado General Assembly's executive committee issued a bipartisan directive ordering the painting to be taken down 'immediately' and stored in a secure location until further notice.
The oil-on-canvas portrait, painted by artist Sarah Boardman, was unveiled in 2019 following a GoFundMe campaign that raised over $10,000 by Colorado Republicans. Boardman, whose work also includes portraits of Barack Obama and George W. Bush, had previously said her goal was to depict Trump as 'thoughtful and nonconfrontational.'
Trump, however, praised the neighbouring portrait of Obama, saying it 'looks wonderful,' while claiming Boardman 'must have lost her talent as she got older.'
The directive to remove the portrait came at the request of Senate Minority Leader Paul Lundeen, a Republican, who said it should be replaced with one 'that depicts his contemporary likeness.'
Colorado House Democrats responded, saying, 'If the GOP wants to spend time and money on which portrait of Trump hangs in the Capitol, then that's up to them.' A spokesperson for Governor Jared Polis, a Democrat, said the state appreciates 'everyone's interest in our Capitol and are always looking to improve the visitor experience.'
The portrait had drawn attention even before its installation. In 2019, a prankster briefly replaced the display area intended for Trump's portrait with an image of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The portrait itself was later criticised for being too flattering — a depiction some opponents described as 'inaccurate' in its restraint.
Visitors to the Capitol on Monday were seen taking selfies with the painting ahead of its removal. 'Honestly, he looks a little chubby, but better than I could do,' said one tourist from Wyoming.
The portraits of US presidents at the Capitol are typically funded by private donors or political organisations. Earlier portraits — up to Jimmy Carter — were donated as a set. Colorado's Building Advisory Committee oversees the display.
Boardman did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In a previous interview, she said, 'There will always be dissent... A neutrally thoughtful, and nonconfrontational, portrait allows everyone to reach their own conclusions.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
3 hours ago
- Express Tribune
'I got that war stopped': Trump on Pakistan-India ceasefire
US President Donald Trump speaks during a swearing-in ceremony for the new US ambassador to China, former US Senator David Perdue, at the White House in Washington, DC, US on May 7, 2025. Photo: REUTERS Listen to article US President Donald Trump said he successfully brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan last month, citing the threat of nuclear escalation as the primary motivator. The ceasefire, reached on May 10, halted the worst military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed nations in decades. The conflict, which saw both sides using fighter jets, drones, missiles, and artillery, led to around 70 casualties. Tensions had been escalating following an attack on April 22 in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 tourists. India subsequently launched airstrikes on Pakistani cities on May 7, accusing Pakistan of being behind the attack, an allegation Islamabad denied, responding with strikes on Indian military targets. Speaking from the White House on Thursday, where he was hosting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump revealed the role he played in facilitating the ceasefire. He said, 'I spoke to some very talented people on both sides ... and I said, you know, we're dealing with you on trade, Pakistan and India right now. I said we're not going to deal with you on trade if you're going to go shooting each other and whipping out nuclear weapons that maybe even affect us.' Trump emphasised the threat posed by nuclear conflict, noting, 'Because you know that nuclear dust blows across oceans very quickly, it affects us.' The US president said that his warning about trade deals helped bring an end to the hostilities. 'I got that war stopped,' he said, crediting the leadership on both sides for backing off from military confrontation. Since the ceasefire, Pakistan has continued to express gratitude for Trump's mediation efforts, while India has rejected the notion that it was influenced by US pressure.
Express Tribune
3 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Trump not interested in talks with Elon Musk: White House
US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk attend a press conference in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, May 30, 2025. PHOTO:REUTERS Listen to article US President Donald Trump is not interested in talking with Elon Musk, a White House official said on Friday, signaling the president and his former ally might not resolve their feud over a sweeping tax-cut bill any time soon. The White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said no phone call between Trump and the Tesla CEO was planned for the day. Earlier, a different White House official had said the two were going to talk. In interviews with several US media outlets, Trump said he was focused on other matters. "I'm not even thinking about Elon. He's got a problem, the poor guy's got a problem," he told CNN. Trump may get rid of the red Tesla Model S that he bought in March after showcasing Musk's electric cars on the White House lawn, the official said. Musk, for his part, did not directly address Trump but kept up his criticism of the massive Republican tax and spending bill that contains much of Trump's domestic agenda. On his social-media platform X, Musk amplified remarks made by others that Trump's "big beautiful bill" would hurt Republicans politically and add to the nation's $36.2 trillion debt. He replied "exactly" to a post by another X user that said Musk had criticized Congress and Trump had responded by criticizing Musk personally. The White House statements came one day after the two men battled openly in an extraordinary display of hostilities that marked a stark end to a close alliance. During the exchange, Trump suggested he would terminate government contracts with Musk's businesses, which include rocket company SpaceX and its satellite unit Starlink. Tesla shares rose on Friday, managing to claw back some steep losses from the previous session when it dropped 14% and lost $150 billion in value, the largest single-day decline in the company's history. Musk's high-profile allies have largely stayed silent during the feud. But one, investor James Fishback, called on Musk to apologize. "President Trump has shown grace and patience at a time when Elon's behavior is disappointing and frankly downright disturbing," Fishback said in a statement. Musk, the world's richest man, bankrolled a large part of Trump's 2024 presidential campaign. Trump named Musk to head up a controversial effort to downsize the federal workforce and slash spending. Trump feted Musk at the White House a week ago as he wrapped up his role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency. Musk cut only about half of 1% of total spending, far short of his brash plans to axe $2 trillion from the federal budget. Since then, Musk has denounced Trump's tax-cut and spending bill as a "disgusting abomination." His opposition is complicating efforts to pass the bill in Congress where Republicans hold a slim majority. Trump's bill narrowly passed the House of Representatives last month and is now before the Senate, where Republicans say they will make further changes. Nonpartisan analysts say the measure would add $2.4 trillion in debt over 10 years. House Speaker Mike Johnson said he has been texting with Musk and hopes the dispute is resolved quickly. "I don't argue with him about how to build rockets and I wish he wouldn't argue with me about how to craft legislation and pass it," Johnson said on CNBC. 'Very disappointed' Trump had initially stayed quiet while Musk campaigned to torpedo the bill, but broke his silence on Thursday, telling reporters he was "very disappointed" in Musk. The pair then traded barbs on their social media platforms. Musk, who spent nearly $300 million in last year's elections, said Trump would have lost without his support. Musk also asserted that Trump's signature import tariffs would push the US into a recession and responded "Yes" to a post on X saying Trump should be impeached. That would be highly unlikely given Trump's Republicans hold majorities in both chambers of Congress. Musk's SpaceX plays a critical role in the US government's space program. When Trump posted that he might cancel Musk's contracts, the billionaire responded he would begin decommissioning SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, the only US spacecraft capable of sending astronauts to the International Space Station. Later, Musk backed off that threat. In a sign of a possible detente, Musk subsequently wrote: "You're not wrong" in response to billionaire investor Bill Ackman saying Trump and Musk should make peace. A prolonged feud could make it harder for Republicans to keep control of Congress in next year's midterm elections if Musk withholds financial support or other major Silicon Valley business leaders distance themselves from Trump. Musk had already said he planned to curtail his political spending, and on Tuesday he called for "all politicians who betrayed the American people" to be fired next year. His involvement with the Trump administration has provoked widespread protests at Tesla sites, driving down sales while investors fretted that Musk's attention was too divided.
Business Recorder
6 hours ago
- Business Recorder
TSX set for record high after US jobs data, trade optimism
Canada's main stock index was headed for a record high on Friday, as a better-than-expected U.S. jobs report and signs of easing trade tensions between Washington and China fueled investor optimism. The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index was up 0.6% at 26,486.37 points. The index was set to eclipse Tuesday's record closing high of 26,426.64 if gains hold. U.S. nonfarm payrolls rose by 139,000 jobs last month, data released on Friday showed, while economists polled by Reuters had expected a job growth of 130,000. Meanwhile, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said on Friday that a planned meeting between U.S. and Chinese officials on trade is expected within seven days, giving hope that the trade war between the world's two largest economies might de-escalate. Separately, China on Friday called to improve bilateral ties with Canada. Earlier this week, U.S. President Donald Trump had doubled tariffs on imports on steel and aluminum. TSX edges higher amid US-China trade talks and upcoming jobs data 'It's just a ploy to get everyone to the table and to try to make a deal,' said Michael Constantino, CEO of online investment platform Webull Canada. Canada's Industry Minister Melanie Joly said on Thursday that Prime Minister Mark Carney and Trump are in direct communication as part of Ottawa's bid to persuade Washington to lift tariffs. 'I think the prime minister of Canada and President Trump will at some point come together and do what's best for both countries,' Constantino said. Canada's unemployment rate in May jumped to its highest level in almost nine years, excluding the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. On TSX, information and technology stocks gained 1.4% on Friday, tracking gains in tech-heavy Nasdaq index. Energy subindex gained 1.3% as oil prices rose slightly and were on track for their first weekly gain in three weeks.
