Donald Trump’s angry meltdown about a painting of himself just got even stranger
Like most Donald Trump stories, the Colorado official portrait controversy just managed to get weirder—and even more pathetic. When Trump made headlines recently for wanting his official portrait at the Colorado State Capitol removed, it was yet another example of the man-child’s petty outrage. Plus, in publicly demanding the painting’s removal, Trump ensured that people would see the image he hated for being so unflattering.
It turns out the story doesn’t end there. Not surprisingly, Trump chided Colorado Governor Jared Polis, blaming the Democrat for the portrait’s existence as an attempt to humiliate him. The thing is, Polis had nothing to do with the painting. In 2018, during Trump’s first failed term, after Colorado Citizens for Culture didn’t raise any money for Trump’s official portrait, State Senator Kevin Grantham — a Republican — stepped up and raised $10,000 through GoFundMe.
After Colorado Republicans approved the painting, it was unveiled at a nonpartisan event hosted by Colorado Senate Republicans in August 2019, according to a report from local NBC affiliate 9NEWS. This was not some sneaky Democratic plot to embarrass Trump, as he would like us all to believe.
On the contrary, Democrats, who control both chambers of the Colorado state legislature, have agreed to take down the portrait and seek a replacement. In the meantime, Democrats pointed out Trump’s pettiness in a blunt statement: “If the GOP wants to spend time and money on which portrait of Trump hangs in the Capitol, then that’s up to them.”
Although his painting has now been removed from the Colorado State Capitol, Trump can at least enjoy a new one—commissioned and gifted to him by none other than Vladimir Putin. The portrait, so far undisclosed to the public and delivered to Trump in Florida, was reportedly described by him as “beautiful,” and Trump was “clearly touched by it.” From Russia with love.
Ron Leshnower is a lawyer and the author of several books, including President Trump’s Month