A new portrait of former President Donald Trump now hangs in the Colorado State Capitol — this one bearing his approval — after his sharp criticism led to the removal of the previous painting.
The replacement, created by Tempe, Arizona-based artist Vanessa Horabuena, presents a more serious and polished image of Trump than the earlier version painted by Colorado Springs artist Sarah Boardman, which had been on display since 2019.
Last spring, Trump publicly slammed Boardman’s work on social media, claiming she had “purposely distorted” his appearance and had “lost her talent.” Boardman rejected those accusations, but the backlash was swift. State lawmakers announced the following day that the portrait would be removed. It was taken down shortly afterward and placed in museum storage.
The new portrait — donated by the White House about a month ago — was installed this week after Lois Court, chair of the Capitol Building Advisory Committee and a former state legislator, approved the decision.
“There was a blank on the wall. It seemed inappropriate,” Court said. “We knew the White House had sent us this replacement and it simply made sense to put it up.”
Horabuena, who describes herself as a “Christian worship artist,” has painted several portraits of Trump, as well as depictions of Abraham Lincoln, Mount Rushmore, and Jesus Christ, according to her website. She did not respond to requests for comment.
On Tuesday, the Capitol was quiet, with the legislature out of session and no school groups visiting. A few tourists paused to photograph the new portrait. Trump, for his part, posted on Truth Social:
“Thank you to the Highly Talented Artist, Vanessa Horabuena, and the incredible people of Colorado.”
However, the new portrait — along with those of other presidents — may not remain in place permanently. The Capitol advisory committee is currently weighing a proposal to replace the presidential portraits with images of past Colorado governors as part of the state’s 150th anniversary celebrations in 2026.
For now, Trump’s portrait is once again part of the Capitol’s historic gallery — but its future remains uncertain.
