WASHINGTON – The official portraits of President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance were unveiled Thursday.
In Trump’s portrait, he’s seen looking stern with one eyebrow raised. His expression caused some people on social media to compare the image to his infamous booking photo taken as he surrendered inside a jail in Atlanta on charges that he illegally schemed to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia.
Within minutes of the mug shot’s release in August 2023, Trump’s campaign was already using the image to solicit contributions to his fundraising site.
“This mugshot will forever go down in history as a symbol of America’s defiance of tyranny,” said a Trump campaign fundraising email. His website also features the mugshot on its homepage.
It quickly became a rallying point for Trump’s voter base, who saw the mugshot as an example of Trump being persecuted by an allegedly corrupt and weaponized justice system.
Dig deeper:
The Trump-Vance campaign unveiled what it called “official” portraits of the president-elect and vice president-elect on Thursday, just days before their inaugurations.
“In just four days, Donald J. Trump will be sworn in as the 47th President of the United States and JD Vance as the 50th Vice President of the United States — and their official portraits are here,” the team said in a statement, according to FOX News.
“Official Portraits Released — And They Go Hard,” the statement added.
While these are not the classic, official White House portraits, they will serve as the administration’s official photos for the transition period and perhaps beyond.
What is an “official” portrait?
The backstory:
Presidents tend to have many portraits. In his first term, Trump’s official portrait was taken by White House chief photographer Shealah Craighead on October 6, 2017 – 10 months after he took office. That photo, which shows him smiling in the White House, is used by the Trump Presidential Library and official White House biography.
The Library of Congress features another portrait, one taken in December that shows him looking more serious.
Presidents also have the option to pose for an official painted portrait, an act that typically happens after their terms. Artists are commissioned by the White House Historical Association to paint portraits of presidents and first ladies, which are then added to the White House collection.
In 1978, President Jimmy Carter unveiled the official White House portraits of former President Gerald Ford and former First Lady Betty Ford in an East Room ceremony.
Carter himself asked not to have a ceremony, but most other presidents and first ladies have taken part in an unveiling ceremony several years after leaving office. These ceremonies are often congenial bipartisan events that include both the current president and his predecessor.
The most recent unveiling took place in 2022 when President Biden unveiled the portraits of former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama.
Trump Inauguration
What’s next:
Donald Trump, already the 45th president, will be inaugurated as the 47th president on Monday, Jan. 20, while JD Vance will be inaugurated as the 50th vice president.
Nearly a quarter million ticketed guests are expected to attend Donald Trump’s second inauguration. The festivities begin over the weekend and continue until the Tuesday following Inauguration Day.
Trump’s swearing-in has been designated a national special security event and Metropolitan Police Department says District public safety agencies and federal partners have spent nearly a year developing the inaugural security plan.
The robust security plan will ensure the inauguration will have extra tight security.
District and federal officials also say travel may be slow as local road closures and highway closures will impact traffic directly around the National Mall, the U.S. Capitol, the Convention Center, and around Union Station.
But the action in D.C. is expected to begin days ahead of the actual Inauguration Ceremony. On Saturday, Jan. 18, tens of thousands of people are expected to descend on Washington for “The People’s March,” a demonstration to oppose Trump ahead of his inauguration.
It’s being organized by several activist groups, including Planned Parenthood, the National Women’s Law Center, Abortion Access Now and the Women’s March.
The group plans to meet at Franklin Park on I Street, Northwest and organizers have partnered with Rally Bus to bring charter buses to D.C. for the march.
Then, on Sunday, Jan. 19, Trump is planning a “Victory Rally” to be held at Capitol One Arena on Jan. 19.
“This is President Trump’s VICTORY RALLY the DAY before being sworn in as the 47th President — the crowd needs to be HUGE!” an email to supporters advertising the event, the Associated Press reports.
Doors open at 11 a.m. and the rally begins at 3 p.m. Ticket registration information can be found here.
