Donald Trump is calling for the immediate removal of his presidential portrait from the Colorado State Capitol, labeling it “the worst” depiction of him ever painted and accusing the artist of political bias.
The portrait, painted by Colorado Springs-based artist Sarah Boardman, has been hanging in the building since 2019—but Trump is only now publicly slamming it.
Taking to Truth Social, Trump accused Democratic Governor Jared Polis of allowing a “purposefully distorted” painting of him to remain on display.
“Nobody likes a bad picture or painting of themselves,” Trump wrote. “She must have lost her talent as she got older.”
You can see the portrait in question below.
The Artist Behind the Portrait Responds
Sarah Boardman, a portrait artist who also painted George W. Bush and Barack Obama for the same series, has not yet responded to Trump’s renewed criticism.
When the Trump portrait was first unveiled in 2019, she described her approach to Newsner as neutral and balanced.
“My portrait of President Trump has been called thoughtful, non-confrontational, not angry, not happy, not tweeting,” she said in 2019. “In five, 10, 15, 20 years, he will be another President on the wall who is only historical background.”
She also asked that people keep the focus on portraiture—not politics.
“Take It Down”
Trump claims his frustration reflects more than just personal vanity—he says Coloradans are also outraged.
“Many people from Colorado have called and written to complain,” he claimed. “They are actually angry about it!”
He then directed his criticism at Governor Polis, accusing him of being weak on crime and referencing the Tren de Aragua gang—a criminal organization that Trump falsely claimed had “practically taken over Aurora,” a city in Colorado.
“Jared should be ashamed of himself,” Trump added.
Governor Jared Polis didn’t take the bait. In a statement to Politico, a spokesperson responded with subtle sarcasm:
“We were surprised to learn the President of the United States is an aficionado of our Colorado State Capitol and its artwork.”
The statement went on to highlight the Capitol’s architectural heritage and noted that it features portraits of all U.S. presidents—Trump included—as part of a longstanding tradition.
“We appreciate the President and everyone’s interest in our Capitol building and are always looking for any opportunity to improve our visitor experience.”
Why Now?
What’s unclear is why Trump has chosen this moment to criticize a painting that’s been on the wall for nearly five years—since August 2019, during his own first term in office.
The portrait in question is one of many hanging in Colorado’s Capitol Rotunda, painted to maintain historical continuity after the original portraitist, Lawrence Williams, passed away in 2003.
Boardman stepped in to complete the series, and by most accounts, approached the Trump portrait with the same professionalism she brought to previous works.
But for Trump, that’s not enough.
“I would much prefer not having a picture than having this one,” he declared.
Photo: Truth Social
