Viral Portrait of Trump 'Crossing the Swamp' Sets Off Internet Firestorm
It’s a pro-Trump twist on history that liberals are already loathing.
Painter Jon McNaughton, a Utah resident with a record of creating artwork about President Donald Trump and his administration that has already brought him praise from Trump supporters and angry criticism from Trump opponents, has unveiled his latest piece.
And this one might just drive liberals clear over the edge.
Titled “Crossing the Swamp,” the picture is a takeoff of the famous “Washington Crossing the Delaware,” by Emanuel Leutze.
McNaughton’s updated version of that iconic image shows Trump and his inner circle aboard a rickety boat, navigating a crossing of the Washington “swamp.”
My new painting – “Crossing the Swamp”
“Never give up. Never lower your light.
Never stop till the swamp is dry.” – Jon McNaughton
For a list of figures in the boat: https://t.co/ZIPdkBgcFU pic.twitter.com/CTPndvK5LM— Jon McNaughton Art (@McNaughtonArt) July 31, 2018
Trump, of course, is standing, with Vice President Mike Pence at his side holding the American flag and first lady Melania Trump nearby.
According to McNaughton’s website, the other figures are, from left: United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, Defense Secretary James Mattis, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, first daughter Ivanka Trump, National Security Advisor John Bolton, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway (she’s hard to see), and White House Chief of Staff John Kelly.
The symbolism is obvious. Just as George Washington led a small army to fight against the seemingly invincible British empire during the American Revolution, Trump and his band of cabinet secretaries are battling the seemingly impregnable swamp of Washington, D.C.
In his own description of the painting, McNaughton doesn’t mince words:
“Over 240 years ago George Washington suffered through Valley Forge and crossed the Delaware River to bring an astonishing victory to the Continental Army. This led to what many thought was impossible, to defeat a despot King and his formidable army.
“Today, Trump endeavors to cross the ‘swamp’ of Washington DC as he carries the light of truth, hope, and prosperity. The murky water of the deep state is laced with dangerous vermin, perfectly willing to destroy American prosperity for their personal ideologies and financial gain. The establishment Democrats, Never-Trumper-Republicans, Deep State, and Fake News Media will do all they can to stop the majority of the American people from succeeding.”
McNaughton didn’t use the word “liberals,” but he didn’t have to. Anyone who sees the painting knows that McNaughton is depicting the kind of government liberals have built up over the decades.
And liberals on Twitter were quick to jump all over the painting after it was made public.
Here are a couple of examples, but there were many, many more.
https://twitter.com/Holdoneasy/status/1024682338784079872
https://twitter.com/JudyChu06634420/status/1024678289447763968
Fortunately, there were plenty of Trump fans who were just as quick to praise McNaughton’s work.
I Love it! Really depicts what is going on. DRAIN THAT SWAMP MR. PRESIDENT. The American People need it drained and soon so we can have a Fair Government to rule our nation.
— Virginia Coleman (@Vlv7Coleman) August 1, 2018
Thank you for this it should go up in the Smithsonian!!
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) July 31, 2018
Wow! It says it all!! Well done!!
— Voguerista (@Voguerista) August 1, 2018
As that last tweet pointed out, the painting really does say it all – mainly due to the alligators lurking in the murky water. There probably isn’t a better metaphor out there for the Washington establishment that is keeping out of the public eye, just waiting for a chance to strike.
Some of the swamp is known to the public, the corrupt FBI agents and lawyers, the fired former FBI director and deputy director, the former CIA director who called the president “treasonous” (while being a known liar himself), and the whole rogues’ gallery of enemies out to destroy the Trump administration.
But more of it is still beneath the surface, feeding leaks to biased news organizations, or trying to subvert the business of the Trump administration from within. (Not all anti-Trumpers in the federal government work for the FBI.)
Draining a “swamp” like the Washington of the 21st century is the kind of job revolutions were invented for.
And McNaughton’s portrait captures it perfectly.
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