The gift that Russian President Vladimir Putin gave to Donald Trump in March has finally been revealed by a journalist.
The portrait depicts Trump on the day of the notorious assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, bloodied and standing before the American Flag, the Statue of Liberty, and the New York skyline.
Crafted by Nikas Safronov, Russia's renowned artist famed for his 'psychological portraits' of notable figures and politicians, including Putin and other ex-Soviet leaders, Safronov granted CNN an exclusive peek at the Kremlin-ordered piece.
The art piece was delivered to Trump's special envoy to Russia, Steve Witkoff, during a Moscow visit in early March. Mr. Witkoff mentioned this gesture of goodwill from the long-standing Russian leader while speaking with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson.
In his dialogue with Carlson, Witkoff conveyed that the U.S. President was "clearly touched" by the "beautiful" portrait. Describing the gift as "gracious" during the interview, Witkoff revealed Putin's prayers for Trump upon hearing about the shooting incident at a Pennsylvania rally targeting the then-presidential candidate.
"He was praying for his friend," Witkoff relayed, in what appears to be yet another move by Putin to employ religious overtones when dealing with top US Republicans.
The Russian head has a history of engaging GOP leaders using faith and art. In 2014, he presented former President George H.
W. Bush with a portrait to mark his 90th birthday.
In another notable incident, Putin handed over a football to then-President Trump—a token that raised eyebrows and required Secret Service inspection for possible surveillance devices before reaching Trump's son.
During Trump’s tenure, lasting four notable months, painting and portrait controversies seemed to follow him. This included the well-documented gift from Putin, who persisted with assaults on Ukraine amidst peace discussions spearheaded by Trump.
His dissatisfaction wasn't limited to international affairs; domestically, Trump waged a battle over his own representation in art.
The ex-President blasted a rendition of himself at Colorado's State Capitol in March as being "unflattering" and strenuously called for its removal, decrying the depiction as a malicious misrepresentation.
Taking to TruthSocial, Trump vented his frustration: "Nobody likes a bad picture or painting of themselves. But the one in Colorado, in the State Capitol, put up by the Governor... was purposefully distorted to a level that even I, perhaps, have never seen before."
Trump admitted that the artist, Sarah Boardman, had once captured a "wonderful" rendition of Obama. Speaking out, he said: "He looks wonderful, but the one on me is truly the worst. She must have lost her talent as she got older. In any event, I would much prefer not having a picture than having this one."
He went on to reveal: "Many people from Colorado have called and written to complain. They are actually angry about it! I am speaking on their behalf to the Radical Left Governor, Jared Polis, who is extremely weak on Crime, especially regarding Tren de Aragua, which practically took over Aurora (Don't worry, we saved it! ), to take it down. Jared should be ashamed of himself."
At Trump's persistent urging, the painting was removed. The wall where it once hung remains bare, with lawmakers from both major parties left to consider the next steps for the space that housed the hated artwork.
As to when discussions for a new portrait will take place remains uncertain. Currently, the Legislature is preoccupied with significant issues, including the state budget, as per AP reports.
"We have no idea when a new portrait is going to go up, how it's going to be fundraised, who is going to pay for it, who is going to paint it, etc.," explained Joshua Bly, a spokesperson for Colorado Senate Republicans, during a call with the press in March.
