Donald Trump’s scowling new portrait looks strangely familiar
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President-elect Donald Trump’s scowling new official portrait reeks ‘revenge’ and its resemblance to his infamous mugshot ‘can’t be an accident’, a political expert says. Trump in his 2025 presidential portrait furrowed his brows and stared icily at the camera like he did in his 2023 mugshot in the Georgia election interference case. He did not smile.
![[Official portrait of President Donald J. Trump]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SEI_236191910-c291.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=426)
To some social media users and presidential portraits expert Paul Staiti, Trump’s portrait seemed to mirror his mugshot. ‘Isn’t that strange though, a mugshot is suggesting illegality and indictment. I assume this is the revenge image – “You thought you had me, now I have you,”‘ Staiti, a Mount Holyoke College alumnae foundation professor, told Metro on Thursday.
Regarding whether Trump may have intentionally mimicked his mugshot, Staiti opined: ‘It can’t be an accident. It just cannot be an accident.’. In his iconic shot in the criminal case, Trump flashed a harsher death stare-like look while wearing his signature white dress shirt and red tie with dark blue suit jacket combination.
![[Official portrait of President Donald J. Trump, Friday, October 6, 2017. (Official White House photo by Shealah Craighead)]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SEI_236202195-fd95.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
Trump’s glance was slightly softer in his official portrait released on Thursday. He wore a blue tie with a white dress shirt and dark blue suit jacket. Part of an American flag appeared in the background. Staiti, who specializes in the intersection between American politics and fine arts, said Trump appeared to have ‘gone all biblical’ in his portrait.
![[Official portrait of JD Vance]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SEI_236191924-dce9.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=426)
