CNN first showed the portrait Trump received from Putin. The latter considers it important in improving relations between Russia and the US

A Russian artist has for the first time shown a portrait of Donald Trump, which Putin gave to the American president in March of this year.

This is reported by CNN.

The author of the work was Russian artist Nikas Safronov. He said that he “had some people come to him and say they wanted me to draw Trump the way I see him”. At first, the artist didn’t know who his clients were, because, he said, “there are clients who don’t go into details”, but he suspected it was the Kremlin.

"When I started the portrait, I realized that it could bring our countries closer together, and I decided not to take the money because I suspected what the painting was for," the artist said.

However, Safronov was later contacted by Putin, who confirmed the artistʼs assumptions and told him that the "flattering" portrait of Trump was an important step in improving Russiaʼs relations with the United States.

"It was important for me to show the blood, the scar, and his bravery during the attempt on his life. He did not break or get scared, but raised his hand to show that he was one with America and would give it back what it deserves," Safronov said.

This is not Safronovʼs first experience with this kind of thing. He has previously painted portraits of world leaders, including the late Pope Francis, Indian President Narendra Modi, and North Koreaʼs Kim Jong Un.

• The portrait of Donald Trump was presented to the American president as a gift from Putin by his special envoy Steve Witkoff, who visited Moscow. The latter told about this in an interview with the host of the podcast Tucker Carlson — a former Fox News host, anti-vaccine, and Trump and Putin sympathizer. Witkoff described the painting as a "beautiful portrait", but did not show it, only noting that Trump was "clearly moved" by it.
• On March 24, Trump asked Colorado Governor Jared Polis to remove his portrait from the state Capitol because he thought it was too ugly. After that, it became known about Putinʼs gift in the form of a portrait. The portrait in Colorado was soon removed.
• Portraits are a major part of Trump’s brand. In January, he made headlines with the release of an official portrait that critics have variously described as serious or sinister. On the campaign trail, Trump frequently used his most iconic photo, taken after an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania, in which he raised a fist with a bloody ear and urged supporters to “fight, fight, fight”.

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