In mid-December, on a tour of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, Abby Jones, the acting chief of protocol at the State Department, floated the idea that the Smithsonian should create a dedicated gallery featuring multiple images of President Donald Trump, according to the New York Times. This, of course, would be in addition to his official portrait.
Later, administration officials noted that the White House regularly receives artworks depicting the President from supporters and suggested that some of it could be displayed at the museum.
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“President Trump receives an unprecedented amount of beautiful artwork from patriotic Americans all across our great country,” a statement released by the White House said, “and it is important to the People’s President that their creations are showcased throughout the halls of our Nation’s Capital.”
There is no formal proposal on the table, the Times reported, and it remains unclear how seriously the idea is being considered, since the Smithsonian has not received an official request.
The National Portrait Gallery regularly includes more than one image of past Presidents in its permanent installation. But the museum’s standard practice has been to debut its commissioned portraits only after a President has completed his time in office.
The discussion follows a recent change at the museum. Last month, the gallery replaced Trump’s original official photograph with a different image he found more flattering. At the same time, it removed wall text referencing his two impeachments. The museum said the changes were part of a “broader update” to the exhibition and that the history of impeachments continues to be addressed elsewhere in its galleries.
Tensions between the White House and the Smithsonian have nearly boiled over since the start of Trump’s second term. The president has criticized what he described as ideological bias in museum displays and has pressed the institution for detailed information about its content and finances. Smithsonian officials, meanwhile, say that the institution operates independently of the executive branch.
In the meantime, visitors to the National Portrait Gallery can already see Trump’s current official image: a black-and-white photograph by White House photograph Daniel Torok showing the president scowling over the Resolute Desk. Whether that single portrait eventually gains company remains an open question, but despite professing its autonomy, the museum leadership have in the past buckled under White House pressure. Last year, the President said he had fired Kim Sajet, then the museum’s director, for a variety of reasons, including the wall texts that mentioned Trump’s impeachment. Sajet continued reporting to work before resigning.
