Trump’s Portrait Removed from Colorado Capitol Amid Controversy

DENVER (AP) — A portrait of former President Donald Trump displayed at the Colorado State Capitol will be removed following his claims that it was ‘purposefully distorted,’ according to a letter obtained by The Associated Press. House Democrats announced the decision on March 24, 2025, citing a request from Republican leaders in the state legislature.

The removal comes after Colorado Republicans raised over $10,000 through a GoFundMe campaign in 2019 to commission the portrait by artist Sarah Boardman. Senate Minority Leader Paul Lundeen, a Republican, stated that he asked for the portrait’s removal and suggested replacing it with one that depicts Trump’s ‘contemporary likeness.’

Democratic lawmakers responded with indifference. ‘If the GOP wants to spend time and money on which portrait of Trump hangs in the Capitol, then that’s up to them,’ they said in a statement.

The portrait of Trump had been installed alongside other presidential portraits. Prior to its unveiling, a prankster had placed a picture of Russian President Vladimir Putin in the intended spot for Trump.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump expressed a preference for the absence of a portrait over the one displayed in Colorado, stating, ‘Nobody likes a bad picture or painting of themselves.’ He remarked that the portrait was ‘purposefully distorted to a level that even I, perhaps, have never seen before,’ while praising the adjacent portrait of former President Barack Obama as ‘wonderful.’

Trump’s dissatisfaction with the portrait comes six years after its installation. Although Boardman aimed to create an apolitical representation, her depiction of Trump as ‘nonconfrontational’ drew criticism. Boardman emphasized that her intention was to allow viewers to form their own opinions separately from the artwork.

After the removal announcement, visitors continued to take selfies in front of the controversial portrait. Aaron Howe, a visitor from Wyoming, told reporters, ‘Honestly, he looks a little chubby,’ though he acknowledged, ‘better than I could do.’ Another visitor, 18-year-old Kaylee Williamson from Arkansas, claimed the portrait resembled Trump, saying, ‘I think it’s fine.’

The portraits at the Colorado State Capitol are under the oversight of the Colorado Building Advisory Committee. Most portraits were donated by political parties, while earlier portraits, up to and including Jimmy Carter, were donated as a collection.

Initially commissioned during a politically charged climate, the portrait was positioned among others to represent different leaders throughout American history. The broader implications surrounding Trump’s removal of the portrait highlight ongoing tensions in American political discourse.

Reporters attempted to reach Boardman for comments, but received no immediate response.