Twitter Can't Stop Laughing At Donald Trump's Portrait With Other Republican Presidents
It's safe to say that Twitter is still trying to collect themselves after Kanye West's infamous visit to the White House on Oct. 11. Well, these tweets about Donald Trump's portrait with other Republican presidents that was prominently displayed during his 60 Minutes interview might be even more meme-worthy. It really are the subtle details that paint the bigger picture. So to speak.
On Sunday, Oct. 14, President Donald Trump joined journalist Lesley Stahl for an unforgettable interview with 60 Minutes. Naturally the two discussed topics ranging from climate change to Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court confirmation fight, but there was one moment that viewers might have missed if they blinked too fast. While walking around the White House, cameras caught a shot of a fantasy portrait of Trump posing alongside fellow Republican presidents at a dinner table. The shot was brief, but worth a double take. In the painting not only does Trump himself appear cheerful and jovial, but the other presidents featured, including Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and the two Bush presidents, all appear to be enjoying themselves as well. Is it just me, or does this painting feel reminiscent of that famous "dogs playing poker" portrait?
For those who missed this moment during the interview, never fear, because Twitter clearly didn't miss anything. Following the quick moment, the public immediately started cracking jokes about the placement of the portrait in the White House, and some even referred to the work as tacky. Elite Daily reached out to the White House as well as artist Andy Thomas for comment about the criticism surrounding his painting, but did not hear back in time for publication.
Even though Twitter is completely roasting the painting, and some are even calling it "tacky," some Twitter users are pointing out a more subtle positive detail.
According to The Daily Beast, the portrait was done by painter Andy Thomas, who named the piece "The Republican Club." While speaking to The Daily Beast, Thomas expressed that he was excited to see his work hanging in the White House, and relayed the story of how when Trump saw the piece for the first time, he loved it so much he asked for a print for himself. Thomas said,
He had actually given a me real gracious call to tell me how much he liked it. He was very complimentary. He made a comment that he’d seen a lot of paintings of himself and he rarely liked them.
Although Thomas' portrait of Trump may be his most high-profile at this particular moment, "The Republican Club" isn't the painter's only presidential work. Thomas, who told The Daily Beast that his work is bipartisan and keeps his own political views private, has also completed a painting similar to "The Republican Club" but featuring Democratic presidents. I'm not sure if Trump will ever ask for that particular portrait to hang in the White House anytime soon.
Tacky or not, the jokes that came from this small moment from 60 Minutes actually might have made it all worth it. Even during a heightened political climate, Twitter still knows how to have a good laugh.
