In recent years, members of President Donald Trump’s inner circle have been quick to defend his sharpest remarks, boldest policy shifts, and most headline-grabbing moves. That kind of blind allegiance to 47 has typically played out behind podiums, through prepared statements, and with folk send ing out late-night tweets to defend whatever he posted on Truth Social that caused the most recent crisis. Recently, it materialized in a way that stopped pedestrians dead in their tracks and sent the internet into overdrive. ROME, GEORGIA – FEBRUARY 19: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the Coosa Steel Corporation on February 19, 2026 in Rome, Georgia. Trump delivered remarks on the economy and affordability as the state has started voting to replace the seat vacated by former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) ‘Trump Using a Walker?’: White House Posts Trump’s New Power Portrait, but Viewers Get Distracted by His ‘Propped Up’ Oval Office Lean The locals in Washington, D.C., will be shocked to spot the giant banner depicting a glaring Trump now stretching across the façade of the Justice Department headquarters, suspended between two towering columns. The display looming over the Department of Justice isn’t just big — it’s block-your-sunlight big. Estimated to rise three to four stories, the oversized portrait consumes a sweeping section of the building’s pale limestone exterior, partially obscuring architectural details and inscriptions as if competing with history itself. There are no official measurements, but none is necessary. Rendered in deep navy and black tones with crisp white lettering, the banner centers a tightly cropped color portrait of Trump in a dark suit, white shirt, and signature bright red tie — fully committed to a red, white, and blue palette. The image focuses on his face and upper torso, and the scowl is unmistakable — the same hard glare that the world has seen many times, and easily compared to his 2023 mugshot. With its shadowy color scheme and imposing scale, the display feels less like a routine tribute and more like a cinematic close-up few could ignore designed to project dominance. But at that massive scale, the expression takes on a life of its own, and critics were quick to point out the one detail he likely didn’t expect to resurface: the striking resemblance to his now-infamous booking photo. Instead of softening the optics, the oversized glare only intensified the comparison. Something else Red states will be trying to ban from history books. Trump’s historic mug shot — iconic.Inmate P01135809 pic.twitter.com/mJ1a4GQ5tz— Christopher Webb (@cwebbonline) August 25, 2023 Installed on Thursday, Feb. 19, the image features a tightly framed portrait of the president staring directly into the camera, with the phrase “Make America Safe Again” printed beneath his face. Similar banners featuring the same serious expression have appeared on the Department of Labor and the Department of Agriculture buildings, USA Today reported. The installation joins a growing list of Trump-branded efforts unveiled during his second term, including the Trump-Kennedy Center, which has now closed temporarily for a few years. It’s not every day a sitting president gets the kind of tribute usually reserved for history books. Online commentary didn’t stop at placement as one wondered, “Isn’t this a mug shot?” Shockingly, it is not, though that stare looks very much like it. Another user vented, “The pigeons are on their way to cover that atrocious fat pig face with a nice spackling of pigeon poo,” invoking a tradition of white drippings by the birds over many other buildings and monuments. Another said, “Jesus Christ… He needs to have his ugly a– face on everything…” The pigeons are on their way to cover that atrocious fat pedophile pig face with a nice spackling of pigeon poo… pic.twitter.com/WjEffhIN9U— Donald J. Kraznov (@25thPAC) February 19, 2026 A fourth comment read, “Plastering his face on the DOJ, USDA, and DOL. We are becoming North Korea. #WakeUpAmerica,” which might be his objective, as he was recently caught on a hot mic saying he wishes that Americans treated him like Kim Jong Un. Some said that it looked “Tacky AF!” Beyond the jokes, many fixated on the expression itself — stern, unsmiling, intense — magnified to a scale that leaves little room for subtlety. It is the exact type of image he likes to have of himself, when he looks firm and in control. In recent months, viral photos of the 79-year-old president have sparked debates about lighting, makeup, and camera angles. Notoriously vain, it seems that Trump is constantly worried about how he appears in images. Close-ups naturally highlight the realities of aging: fuller contours beneath the jawline, deeper skin folds, heavier foundation under bright lights. Enlarged several stories high, those details become impossible to miss. For a public figure who has long projected dominance, vitality, and vanity, the oversized portrait invites viewers to scrutinize every inch. The location over the DOJ’s doors also invites scrutiny of key members in the president’s administration. One X user speculated, “Bondi apparently worried about keeping her job.” Attorney General Pam Bondi has publicly defended the department’s work under Trump’s leadership and instruction, framing the banner as a celebration of policy direction rather than personality. Still, critics question whether elevating his likeness so prominently above the Justice Department blurs lines that traditionally separate institutions from individuals. ‘Wake Up America’: Trump Unveils Massive Self-Portrait in Power Play Ahead of His Big Day, Critics Instantly Zero In on the One Detail He Never Saw Coming ...read more read less