Trump’s PAC-funded Smithsonian portrait remains on track — despite jailhouse mugshot

ALSO READ: Exclusive: Secret donors pumped millions into groups behind gutting of Black voting rights

WASHINGTON — On Thursday, former President Donald Trump got a new mugshot.

His official presidential portrait, destined for a Smithsonian Institution museum, remains on track, too, Raw Story has learned.

An official for the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery confirmed to Raw Story that Trump’s litany of felony charges has not altered the museum’s plans to facilitate, unveil and display official portraits for Trump and former first lady Melania Trump.

Also unchanged: The portraits are primarily funded by a $650,000 “charitable contribution” from Trump-tied political committee Save America PAC, which a federal grand jury is investigating for fundraising off false assertions that widespread voter fraud invalidated the 2020 election.

RELATED ARTICLE: Trump PAC lauded by Smithsonian for its 'generous support': government documents

Save America PAC has meanwhile served as Trump’s chief fundraising vehicle to cover tens of millions of dollars in legal fees associated with his criminal defense. Trump is now grappling with 91 felony counts across four separate cases — two in Washington, one in New York City and one in Fulton County, Ga. Trump on Thursday posted $200,000 bail after his formal booking on 13 counts related to his alleged attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

“Nothing has changed in that regard since you last reported on the matter,” said National Portrait Gallery spokesperson Concetta Duncan, adding that there is still “no set time” for the official unveiling of Trump’s portrait.

In May, Raw Story revealed that Smithsonian officials lauded Save America PAC for its “generous support” and, because they were “grateful,” promised Trump officials perks in exchange for the PAC’s money.

ALSO READ: 'A little too close for comfort': Why did the National Archives disappear this Trump photo?

"To recognize this generous support, the Smithsonian will recognize Save America on the object labels that will be displayed alongside the portraits when they are on exhibition and alongside images of the portraits on the NPG website," National Portrait Gallery Director Kim Sajet and Assistant Secretary for Advancement Robert J. Spiller wrote on May 11 to Save America PAC treasurer Bradley Crate, according to a letter obtained by Raw Story through a Freedom of Information Act request.

"In addition, Save America will be recognized in the commemorative program for, and remarks delivered at, the unveiling ceremony and provided with invitations and reserved seating for 10 guests to attend the event,” the letter to Crate continues.

The letter further states that Save America will have the "opportunity to arrange a private viewing of the portraits for up to five guests." Save America PAC would also be honored in the text of the Smithsonian's annual report.

The letter did note that Save America PAC would not be allowed to use the Smithsonian and National Portrait Gallery logos and other branding in the PAC's "products" or "product packaging," or in "advertising, promotion, publicity, or fund-raising" without Smithsonian approval.

"Just an update that we're seeing tons of angry tweets about the Trump portrait, from small and huge accounts," Smithsonian social media official Erin Blasco wrote to several colleagues. "People do not seem to understand, of course, that we have portraits of all the presidents. They're upset that we're getting a Trump portrait but also there are plenty of people upset that this counts as a 'donation,' especially since their fundraising practices have been criticized."

Among the tweets Smithsonian officials shared with each other, per their emails:

"Nice to see that @smithsonian is in bed with a Nazi pedophile wanna-be tyrant. Donation or bribe ?"

"This is f*cking infuriating."

"This is not how museums are supposed to work."

"Why would the Smithsonian even hang anything with that treasonous pig? Unless the exhibit talks about the crimes, abuse of power, and a portrait of Narcissism!"

"It's disturbing to hear that the Smithsonian is accepting so much money from Trump's Save America PAC, which has been using what Business Insider calls 'aggressive and deceptive' solicitations to squeeze money from the faithful."

The National Portrait Gallery houses a complete collection of presidential portraits.

Smithsonian officials have, however, declined to release the names of the artists who are slated to paint the Trumps’ portraits.

"Two different artists. Again, we really don’t want to get into the names," Duncan advised colleagues in an Aug. 22, 2022, email.

"We are not sharing any information about the artists at this time," National Portrait Gallery Director of Advancement Usha Subramanian emphasized in another email the same day.


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Pollster reveals fight flying under radar that's enraging swing voters

Pollsters are finding that swing voters are increasingly worried about a trending issue that's being overlooked.

Sarah Longwell, a Republican pollster and the publisher of The Bulwark, revealed in a podcast that swing voters are sharing a long list of concerns about AI data centers with pollsters.

The issue is "flying under the radar as a big picture issue for folks in D.C., but I hear it coming up all the time in focus groups," Longwell said. "I know some people are paying attention to this, but I mean, the voters talk about it all the time."

She played audio from a focus group interview with a Georgia small-town voter who described the impact of AI data centers as "devastating" and explained why she's bothered.

"I'm in the middle of a huge countywide fight against data centers," one voter said. "People are showing up about their water already, and about 40 people are being pushed out of their homes. It's just very personal."

The voter added that the fight against AI data centers "took the cake for me on whether or not I might vote. The only reason I'm going to is because maybe when I go to heaven, it'll count for something."

Another voter from Pittsburgh said that data centers are replacing "old mill sites," and "people are saying, 'We don't want them! We don't want them! We don't want them!'" Pittsburgh residents are opposed to the water consumption and pollution created by data centers, "but they just keep coming," he went on.

"It doesn't matter who the governor is, who the mayor is," he said. "They're all on board because it's job creation."

Longwell predicted, "Does this become a 2028 issue?" referring to the next presidential election. "I suspect it does."

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MAGA world sent into frenzy over 'bombshell' news on Trump shooter's emails to cop

The release of heavily redacted FBI records showing that a sheriff's deputy exchanged emails with would-be Trump assassin Thomas Crooks before the July 13, 2024 shooting — as Raw Story reported — sent MAGA world into overdrive this weekend, with commentators across the political spectrum demanding answers about what those emails said and why the documents remain concealed.

MeidasTouch, the liberal political media outlet, reached nearly 500,000 views with a post summarizing the Judicial Watch release, noting that "the records remain heavily redacted, concealing the nature of the communications."

Kaelan Deese, a political reporter, called it "a bombshell in their Thomas Crooks FOIA fight," and flagged the recovery of the gray remote device with an antenna from Crooks' pocket as a detail warranting further scrutiny.

Sara Gonzales, a conservative commentator at The Blaze, kept her focus on the emails: "The public deserves to know why and when Crooks contacted law enforcement."

Not everyone agreed the word "exchange" was warranted. Heather Champion, a conservative social media personality, urged precision: "I don't know if 'exchange' is correct but they did receive emails from Thomas Crooks before the July 13 Trump rally."

Left-wing podcaster Jimmy Dore, who has previously raised questions about the official account of the shooting, used the records to revisit a string of unresolved details. "So you're telling me there's some nefarious stuff surrounding the supposed assassination attempt of Trump?" he wrote. "You mean the one where the cops admitted to seeing him THREE TIMES in a restricted area with a scope and a backpack and yet never did anything? The one where a bunch of people in the crowd saw the shooter on the roof but no cops or secret service officers or sheriff's deputies or State troopers saw him?"

Shane Cashman, a journalist, offered the most pointed response, cataloging the same unanswered questions in a sardonic thread while warning against the leap to conspiracy. "There's literally nothing weird about Thomas Matthew Crooks emailing a deputy from Butler, PA before the assassination attempt," he wrote, before listing item after item: that Crooks practiced at the same range Homeland Security used, that local police and Secret Service spotted him with a rangefinder and texted about him for over an hour before he climbed the roof, that no Secret Service drones were flying that day while Crooks allegedly had one, that his house had no trash or silverware and his body was cremated ten days later before Congress could view it. "This is like when people say the CIA was shadowing Oswald before he, and he alone, shot JFK."

What nobody knows, still, is what those two emails said.

GOP candidate embarrassed on stage as his 'odd' Venezuelan gang claim crumbles

A Republican running for governor suffered a brutal on-stage embarrassment as the moderator tore apart a wild claim about Venezuelan gangs.

Scott Bottoms, a GOP primary candidate for Colorado governor, walked back his claim that upwards of 50,000 Venezuelan gang members are in the state, in a video posted by local journalist Kyle Clark.

"You have claimed without offering evidence that there are 45,000 to 50,000 Tren de Aragua gang members in Colorado," Clark told Bottoms. During the 2024 presidential election, MAGA politicians and influencers insisted that members of the gang Tren de Aragua were taking over parts of Colorado.

"That's 10 to 20 times the worldwide membership of the gang," Clark told Bottoms, calling the claim "odd."

A stuttering and shaky Bottoms explained that he was confused when Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents earlier told him that upwards of 50,000 Venezuelans arrived in the Denver metro area seeking asylum.

"I misunderstood what the ICE agent was saying," Bottoms said.

He admitted, "I got that wrong," and realized it after returning to check with ICE agents.

Clark accused Bottoms of being "confused about what you saw on the news," and also found that he had lied about sheriffs agreeing to be deputized to combat Venezuelan gangs.

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