New Portrait of President Trump Now Displayed at Colorado Capitol

A new, self-approved portrait of President Donald Trump has been installed in the Colorado State Capitol, replacing an earlier version he publicly criticized. The current artwork, painted by Arizona-based Christian worship artist Vanessa Horabuena, now hangs on the third-floor rotunda within Denver’s historic building, on the wall dedicated to past presidents.

The new portrait closely resembles Trump’s official presidential photograph, portraying him leaning forward with a serious expression and intense gaze. It was a donation from the White House and replaces a previous painting of Trump, which had been displayed since 2019 and was removed earlier this year after Trump labeled it as “purposefully distorted” and “the worst.” The original painting was funded by a GoFundMe effort led by a Republican former state senator.

Trump expressed his dissatisfaction publicly, criticizing the previous artwork, and specifically mentioned that the Obama portrait was more flattering. He wrote on social media that the Colorado portrait was “purposefully distorted” beyond recognition and accused the artist of losing talent over time.

The installation of the new portrait was overseen by the Colorado Building Advisory Committee, which is independent of the governor. Lois Court, the committee chair, explained that after receiving the White House’s replacement, she decided it was appropriate to display it, especially given the previous artwork’s controversial history. She noted that the Capitol’s portraits are meant to be apolitical.

Despite initial objections, local Republican leaders requested the removal of the original painting, leading Democratic lawmakers to agree. The decision was made after the committee Chair, Lois Court, noted the portrait’s arrival and the importance of maintaining a nonpartisan display of presidential images.