Donald Trump’s official presidential portrait has been unveiled, showcasing a stern and unyielding stare.
Gatekeepers News reports that the photo, shared by Trump’s chief photographer Daniel Torok, presents a stark contrast to that of Vice-President-elect JD Vance, who appears relaxed and smiling.
This new portrait marks a departure from Trump’s 2017 portrait, where he was seen smiling warmly.
The photo’s release has sparked mixed reactions on social media, with some users criticizing Trump’s serious demeanor. Interestingly, Trump’s stare bears a resemblance to his 2023 mugshot, where he was seen with furrowed brows and a clenched jaw.
That mugshot became a symbol of Trump’s portrayal as a politically motivated prosecuted victim and was even used on merchandise like t-shirts and mugs.
Trump’s transition team has described the official photographs as ones that “go hard.” Trump and Vance are set to be sworn in on Monday.
‘OK, call me crazy but doesn’t Trump’s official inauguration photo look a lot like his official mugshot?’ one user posted to X, formerly known as Twitter.
‘Trump’s inauguration picture looks just like his mugshot! FOTUS… Felon of The United States!’ agreed another.
‘This looks straight out of a horror movie,’ joked another, accompanying the post with a black and white version of the steely picture.
‘Acts like he’s tryna scare someone with his horror movie inauguration portrait, but no one’s actually intimidated, though,’ slammed someone else.
Another user joked the future president: ‘Looks like Lucifer with a combover. That’s the way he likes it!’
Meanwhile, one social media user declared his official portrait looked as though it had been ‘generated with AI.’
But others didn’t think it looked so bad, sharing words of support for the incoming President.
‘It looks bada**,’ declared one fan.
