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

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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CNN's chief data analyst, Harry Enten, borrowed one of President Donald Trump's favorite phrases on Thursday night to describe the president's precipitous fall in support from a key part of his coalition.

Over the last couple of months, Trump's approval rating among young men aged 30 years and under has dropped by more than 56 points, Enten said during CNN's "Erin Burnett OutFront." Enten called the plummeting support "stunning."

"I think the word of the day, to borrow a phrase from the current president, is yuge!" Enten exclaimed.

"I spend my days in the spreadsheets," he added. "You just don't see drops like that. It's stunning."

Trump's success with young voters was one of the contributing factors to his success during the 2024 election, Enten pointed out. Between 2020 and 2024, Trump won 43% of voters under the age of 30 during the 2024 election compared to 31% of those voters during the 2020 campaign.

The significant drop in support among this group could prove disastrous for Trump in the 2026 midterm election.

"This is hugely important to Trump," Enten said.

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President Donald Trump's administration announced on Thursday night that it had carried out another strike against an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean, an operation that killed four people.

U.S. Southern Command, a division of the Department of Defense, announced the operation in a post on X and included a video of the strike. It comes at a time when the administration's strikes against alleged drug runners are facing increased scrutiny on Capitol Hill.

"On Dec. 4, at the direction of @SecWar Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel in international waters operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization," the post reads in part. "Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was carrying illicit narcotics and transiting along a known narco-trafficking route in the Eastern Pacific. Four male narco-terrorists aboard the vessel were killed."

Since taking office, the Trump administration has conducted roughly 22 strikes, killing more than 80 people. Trump has said the strikes are a matter of national security, but experts have criticized Trump for not providing evidence to substantiate the claim.

The latest strike comes as the Trump administration faces demands for answers after reports emerged that Hegseth ordered the killing of two survivors from a controversial drug vessel bombing.

During a briefing with lawmakers, Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT), the ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, described a video of a Sept. 2 attack in the Caribbean Sea as potentially showing a war crime. Himes stated that the video showed two people clinging to wreckage in the middle of the ocean without weapons, suggesting that targeting these shipwrecked sailors - even if they were involved in drug trafficking - could run afoul of international war laws.

A top Virginia lawmaker uncorked an eyebrow-raising response after the conservative-leaning Supreme Court issued an unsigned order Thursday night allowing Texas to use a Trump-backed redrawn congressional map for the House aimed at flipping several Democratic districts.

A three-judge panel blocked the map in October, finding that challengers would likely prove it was unconstitutional due to racial discrimination. However, the majority on the high court criticized the panel for "fail[ing] to honor the presumption of legislative good faith by construing ambiguous direct and circumstantial evidence against the legislature." Furthermore, the Supreme Court also found that the lower court "improperly inserted itself into an active primary campaign, causing much confusion and upsetting the delicate federal-state balance in elections."

The order was roundly criticized by court watchers and earned a blistering dissent from liberal justices on the court.

It also elicited a sharp threat from Virginia Senate President pro tempore L. Louise Lucas, a Democrat.

"I got something waiting for Texas…," Lucas wrote in a cryptic X post.

In a follow-up post, she clued observers into her plans.

"I will give a follow back to every person who I see tweet 10-1 tonight," wrote Lucas.

The reference "10-1" is a potential outcome of their proposed mid-decade redistricting plan for the state's congressional districts. This would shift the current 6-5 Democratic majority in Virginia's 11-seat delegation to a 10-1 Democratic advantage — a net gain of up to four additional seats.

Her comment comes after state House Speaker Don Scott (D) suggested the legislature is mulling drawing a 10-1 House map for the midterms.

"10-1 is not out of the realm to be able to draw the maps in a succinct and community-based way," he said, according to Punchbowl News' Ally Mutnick.

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