Trump ushered in the New Year with an auction of a staged portrait of Jesus. As much as it was sold
US President Donald Trump held an auction for a live painting of Jesus Christ on New Year's Eve at his Mar-a-Lago club, where the New Year's Eve party was held. Asked about his New Year's resolution, he said it was “peace on Earth,” The Guardian reports.
The portrait of Jesus was made by artist Vanessa Horabuena and sold for $2.75 million.
“To me, she's one of the greatest in the world. In fact, last night she did something incredible. She can slowly paint a beautiful portrait for the White House, or she can paint the most incredible painting in literally 10 minutes,” he added in a video recording of the event broadcast on the conservative channel Newsmax.
Horabuena started painting on a huge canvas to the background of the song “Hallelujah”.
“It draws something really special. I don't know what it is, but it draws something really special,” he said, opening the bidding at $100,000. “I don't know how you do it,” he commented, explaining that half of the proceeds from the auction would go to St. Mary's Children's Hospital. County and a half to the local sheriff's department.
“These people are full of money, just so you know”he added.
The portrait sold for $2.75 million, and the winner was a woman with a job. Gala attendees included former Councilman Rudy Giuliani; Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara; Emirati billionaire Hussain Sajwani; Brett Ratner, the director of the documentary Melania, produced by Amazon, and Jeanine Pirro, the Attorney General of the District of Columbia.
Trump's wish for “peace on earth” it came as reporters were asked about an alleged CIA-led attack on a dock in Venezuela.
The New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago — past guests have included Martha Stewart, Serena Williams, Tiger Woods and Rod Stewart — is a tradition that goes back at least two decades. Tickets cost $1,450.
The festivities followed a flurry of social media posts on various topics, with Trump calling Colorado's Democratic governor, Jared Polis, “scoundrel”, George Clooney “mediocre”on the democrats “a gang of cheats and thieves” and praising his administration's tariff policies, which he said brought “a world record in terms of investment”.
At least three of Trump's 10 posts on Wednesday were related to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and the investigation into massive welfare fraud.
Trump previewed what will likely be an important theme in the coming days. “Can you imagine they stole $18 billion?”Trump said. “That's all I've found out so far. They are scumbags. It's worse in California, it's worse in Illinois, and unfortunately, it's worse in New York.”
“We will put an end to the whole situation. It was a huge scam,” a he added. “Other than that, we're going to have a great New Year.”
