US President Donald Trump has called for the removal of a portrait of his likeness hanging in the Colorado Capitol.

On Sunday, March 23, taking to his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump blamed Colorado's Democratic Governor, Jared Polis, for the painting and claimed that it was "purposefully distorted."

In a swift response to Trump's complaint, Republican lawmakers in Colorado requested the portrait's removal on Monday, March 24.

According to Jarrett Freedman, a spokesperson for the Colorado House Democrats, Democratic legislators, who hold majorities in the state legislature, agreed to take it down.

"If the GOP wants to spend time and money on which portrait of Trump hangs in the Capitol, then that’s up to them," Freedman said.

Trump's accusations, however, were not entirely accurate. The portrait was neither commissioned by Governor Polis nor distorted as a slight against the former president.

In reality, it was created and funded by Republicans during Trump's first term, with the effort led by Kevin Grantham, a former Republican state senate president.

The painting has been displayed in the Colorado Capitol since 2019 alongside portraits of other US presidents.

In his Truth Social post, Trump expressed his dissatisfaction, writing:

"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."

He also took the opportunity to criticise Polis, adding:

"Jared should be ashamed of himself!"

However, Trump did not specify what aspects of the portrait he found offensive or why he chose to address it now.

Responding to Trump's comments, Ally Sullivan, a spokesperson for Governor Polis, remarked:

"The governor was surprised to learn the President of the United States is an aficionado of our Colorado State Capitol and its artwork. We appreciate the President and everyone’s interest in our capitol building."

Trump has consistently leveraged his image for political branding, unlike most US presidents.

His infamous scowl in the 2023 Georgia mugshot was quickly adopted by his supporters as a symbol of defiance, plastered on campaign merchandise.

The same fierce expression appears in his latest White House portrait, further solidifying his unique approach to political imagery.

Even the raised-fist photo taken after the attempted assassination against him in July has become a symbol for his supporters and a representation for his cryptocurrency coin.

The former president's deliberate use of his image for political gain has fueled both his base's loyalty and his critics' criticism.

Source: TUKO.co.ke