A PRESIDENTIAL portrait of Donald Trump will be removed from a US state capitol – just a day after the president blasted the work.
Trump railed against the picture in a Truth Social rant, claiming it was “purposefully distorted” and berated the artist behind the portrait.
Amid the outcry, Republican lawmakers in the Colorado House of Representatives requested the painting to be removed.
“If the GOP wants to spend time and money on which portrait of Trump hangs in the Capitol, then that’s up to them,” Democrats said.
But, senate Republicans told the CBS affiliate KKTV removing the portrait is in line with tradition.
They said they removed the portrait to follow an existing tradition. President Grover Cleveland only has one portrait from his second term.
GOP leaders say they want a portrait that resembles Trump more.
The portrait will now be stored in the History Colorado museum in Denver.
It’s not yet known if another Trump portrait will be commissioned.
The nature of the picture sparked division among visitors to the Colorado State Capitol.
“Honestly he looks a little chubby,” Aaron Howe, a tourist from Wyoming, told Politico.
But, others thought Trump looked fine.
“I guess he’s smoother than all the other ones,” Trump fan Kaylee Williamson, 18, told the outlet.
Trump lashed out at Sarah Boardman – the artist behind the portrait – claiming she lost talent as she aged.
“The artist also did President Obama, and he looks wonderful, but the one on me is truly the worst,” Trump said.
“She must have lost her talent as she got older.”
Boardman defended the painting as she stressed the president needed to look neutral.
“My portrait of President Trump has been called thoughtful, non-confrontational, not angry, not happy, not tweeting,” she said.
“In five, 10, 15, 20 years, he will be another president on the wall who is only historical background and he needs to look neutral.”
Boardman claimed she takes personal feelings out of artwork when she produces a piece.
The Brit artist also painted a portrait of Barack Obama, in which Trump said he “looks wonderful.”
Trump also lashed out at Colorado governor Jared Polis in his Truth Social tirade, claiming he should be “ashamed.”
