Trump orders 'distorted' painting taken down

An oil painting of Donald Trump hanging with other presidential portraits at the Colorado state Capitol will be taken down after Trump claimed that his was "purposefully distorted."

Colorado Republicans raised more than US$10,000 (HK$78,000) through a GoFundMe account to commission the oil painting, which was unveiled in 2019.

The portrait was installed alongside other paintings of US presidents.

But in a Sunday night post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said he would prefer no picture at all over the one that hangs in the Colorado Capitol. The Republican lauded a nearby portrait of former President Barack Obama - also by artist Sarah Boardman - saying "he looks wonderful."

Trump added: "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's comments prompted visitors to pose for photos with the painting before the announcement that it would be taken down.

A visitor who voted for Trump said: "Honestly he looks a little chubby."

Another, an 18-year-old Trump supporter, said: "I think it looks like him. I guess he's smoother than all the other [portraits]...I think it's fine."

Associated Press