Artist behind Trump portrait gifted by Putin says he hopes it brings peace

Russian artist Nikas Safronov, who painted the portrait of Donald Trump that was given to the U.S. President by Vladimir Putin, shows the painting on a screen during an interview with Reuters at his home in Moscow, Russia April 30, 2025. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Russian artist who painted a portrait of Donald Trump that was given to the U.S. president by Vladimir Putin says he never suspected his work would become an instrument of Russia-U.S. diplomacy.

The painting by Nikas Safronov depicts Trump clenching his fist in a gesture of defiance in the moments after a gunman tried to assassinate him at a rally in Pennsylvania last July.