Donald Trump Has a Painting Where He’s Surrounded by Laughing Republican Presidents

In a 60 Minutes special, the President stood in front of a painting that featured Donald Trump sharing a table with Republican presidents who came before him. The problem? Well, there’s a lot of problems, but the first being that Teddy Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln would not be considered Republicans by today’s standards.

This picture reminds me of those pictures where someone painted James Dean hanging out with Marilyn Monroe and the Rat Pack. Or, better yet, those poker games where dogs are smoking cigars and having a drink.

Having fanart in your home is fine and dandy and that is, essentially, what this painting is? However, considering the recipient of this art, let’s take a closer look.

The only real accuracy of association comes from Trump’s close proximity to Richard Nixon in the painting. Ironically enough, they placed him right next to Nixon, and Trump is almost smiling at him as if he looks up to the man. Perhaps another accuracy is that these presidents would indeed be laughing in such a scene—not not with Trump, but at him.

The portrait isn’t the only thing that has people talking. Many are focusing on what Trump had around that office. Which was a jar of red and pink Starbursts because when you’re president, apparently you get to make wild demands.

To be honest, I’d ask for all green M&Ms, but still, this is what we’ve come to. Our president is so egotistical that he hung a portrait on the wall of the White House that shows him sharing a drink with presidents who do not deserve to be in association with Trump. While I do not agree with a great majority of their political stances and motives, these were still presidents who were intelligent and would not have spent their time tweeting insults at the “fake news” and mocking sexual assault survivors.

Trump’s high-profile fanart reflects back on what Trump wants out of this presidency: validation. It isn’t about doing a thankless job, it is about going down in history as ‘the best.’ From the first day—when Trump’s press secretary insisted that the inauguration crowd “was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period, both in person and around the globe,” despite all evidence to the contrary—Trump has been obsessed with self-aggrandizement and little else.

Maybe we should take the painting down and then take it out back and burn this monstrosity. If it must remain hanging in the White House, let us hope that Abraham Lincoln rises from the dead and comes after Trump for trying to associate himself with Lincoln. Especially following the recent comments Trump made on his meandering, convoluted way to paying homage to Ulysses S. Grant. Quoth the president:

Robert E. Lee was a great general. And Abraham Lincoln developed a phobia. He couldn’t beat Robert E. Lee.

Interestingly, in Trump’s fanart, Lincoln is faced away, so that the viewer can’t see his face. Maybe the artist knew it was a step too far to depict Abraham Lincoln laughing and palling around with Donald Trump.

We can imagine what Lincoln’s face might look like gazing upon Trump, and he isn’t smiling.

(image: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Want more stories like this? Become a subscriber and support the site!

—The Mary Sue has a strict comment policy that forbids, but is not limited to, personal insults toward anyone, hate speech, and trolling.—

Have a tip we should know? tips@themarysue.com

Author

Close

Rachel Leishman

Rachel Leishman (She/Her) is an Assistant Editor at the Mary Sue. She's been a writer professionally since 2016 but was always obsessed with movies and television and writing about them growing up. A lover of Spider-Man and Wanda Maximoff's biggest defender, she has interests in all things nerdy and a cat named Benjamin Wyatt the cat. If you want to talk classic rock music or all things Harrison Ford, she's your girl but her interests span far and wide. Yes, she knows she looks like Florence Pugh. She has multiple podcasts, normally has opinions on any bit of pop culture, and can tell you can actors entire filmography off the top of her head. Her current obsession is Glen Powell's dog, Brisket. Her work at the Mary Sue often includes Star Wars, Marvel, DC, movie reviews, and interviews.

twitter youtube Link to www.themarysue.com