George W. Bush has created a portrait of Donald Trump described as "a really ugly picture" that he has kept private, according to author Jacob Weisberg. Bush, who took up painting after leaving the presidency, is channeling his feelings about Trump and his administration into his artwork instead of offering public criticism.
Weisberg, author of the new book "Profiles In Cowardice: A Study Of Collaboration In The Trump Era," told Intelligencer that Bush expresses his sentiments through his art, which also includes paintings of wounded veterans and immigrants. "He’s trying to talk about politics and express his feelings without stating them explicitly," Weisberg said.
The book examines individuals who Weisberg argues enabled Trump's rise, categorizing their actions as either sins of commission or sins of omission. He places Bush's decision not to publicly critique Trump in the latter category.
Weisberg noted that while the public does not expect former presidents to be "full-time politicians," he believes Bush is using the idea that presidents must "completely remove themselves from ever commenting" as a shield.