Trump’s Portrait Paranoia

Trump’s just demanded the removal of a portrait of himself from a Colorado government building—because it didn’t meet his personal standard of flattery. The portrait, ironically commissioned by Republican officials as a routine recognition of former presidents, became the subject of Trump’s ire after he claimed it was deliberately distorted by political enemies—most notably the state’s Democratic leadership.

According to insiders, the painting was intended as a ceremonial installation in a public hallway of the state Capitol, joining those of other U.S. presidents. But Trump, convinced it was part of a grand liberal conspiracy to make him look bad, insisted it be taken down. Never mind that the artist was chosen by a committee with bipartisan input. Never mind that the portrait was funded and facilitated by members of his own party. In Trump’s mind, the portrait was an attack—and in typical Trump fashion, the only acceptable response was scorched earth.

Trump’s paranoid self-obsession is part of a well-established pattern—and a distinguishing characteristics of tyrannical despots. His obsession with his image and control over public narrative has grown increasingly authoritarian in tone. He doesn’t just reject criticism—he seeks to obliterate it. Whether it’s pressuring aides to lie, attacking judges who rule against him, or demanding loyalty from civil servants, Trump operates on a singular principle: loyalty to him must be absolute, and dissent—real or imagined—must be crushed.

The idea that a painted likeness, done by a professional artist with no apparent agenda, could trigger such paranoia is telling. It underscores the fragility of Trump’s ego and the danger of placing such a mindset near any seat of power. This is not the behavior of a confident leader—it’s the behavior of a man who views every perceived slight as an existential threat. And it’s textbook authoritarianism: control the image, silence the critics, rewrite the narrative to favor the strongman.

What’s even more ironic is that this portrait wasn’t even intended to mock him. It wasn’t a caricature or a protest piece—it was just a painting. But for Trump, anything less than divine-level adoration reads as betrayal.

This latest tantrum should serve as a reminder of how far Trump will go to protect the illusion he’s built around himself. It’s not about public service. It’s not about the Constitution or democracy. It’s about the myth of Trump—and like all myths, it cannot withstand even the gentlest touch of reality.