Official portraits of Donald Trump and JD Vance revealed a few days before the Inauguration Ceremony
The transition team donald trump and J.D. Vance unveiled the official portraits of the president-elect and vice president-elect days before his Inauguration Ceremony, known as Inauguration Day, scheduled for January 20, 2025. The inauguration, which will take place in the United States Capitolwill mark the beginning of the second term of Trump, who returns to power after his defeat in 2020 against Joe Biden.
The portraits were shared through press releases and were also posted on social media by Daniel TorokTrump’s official photographer. In the image, the president-elect appears wearing a blue suit, white shirt and blue tiewith an American flag pin on the lapel. His expression is serious, with his gaze fixed on the camera. For its part, J.D. Vancesenator from Ohio and next vice president, appears in his official portrait with the arms crossed and one smilealso wearing a blue suit and blue tie.
The inauguration ceremony will include Trump’s swearing-in on the steps of the Capitol, followed by the traditional inaugural parade in Pennsylvania Avenue and a series of balls and official events in Washington DC Trump will return to the White House amid a tense political context and with several ongoing investigations into his past administration.
A few minutes after the publication of Trump’s portrait, users on social networks pointed out its resemblance to the mugshot taken in August 2023when the then former president was booked into the prison of Fulton County, Georgiaafter being accused of trying to overturn the results of the 2020 elections in that state.
In statements collected by various media, Internet users on X (formerly Twitter) commented that the image seemed inspired by his police file. One user wrote: “100% Trump recreated his mugshot for his inaugural photo.”
The main similarity between both images is the stern expression of Trump, with the Raised eyebrows and staring at the camera. The most notable difference is the color of his tie: in the police file he had a red tiewhile in his official portrait it is blue.
On the other hand, the background of the images is also one of the most notable disparities. While in the first the background is gray, in the second image you can see the United States flag and wooden details, surely placed as decoration on the wall. Also notable is the upper left corner where you can see the watermark of the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, where he was arrested.
Since his arrest, Trump has seized on his mugshot image as a symbol of defiance. In 2023, it started selling t-shirts, mugs and stickers with the photo and the phrase “Never Surrender!”. According to his statements, the president-elect has also assured that his mugshot helped him gain support among African-American voters, comparing his situation with the discrimination they have historically suffered, reported TheIndependent.
Unlike Trump, the image of J.D. Vance has generated few comments. However, some users on networks criticized his clothing.
For its part, Trump’s new portrait contrasts with his first official image as president in 2017when he was photographed with a wide smile. On that occasion, the White House broadcast the image on October 2017nine months after his inauguration. For many social media users, the difference in expression reinforces the change in their public image: from a smiling leader to a more defiant figure.
