Donald Trump has strongly denied allegations of creating drawings, despite evidence suggesting otherwise. Following a report from the Wall Street Journal regarding a 2003 letter to Jeffrey Epstein that included Trump’s name alongside an outline of a naked woman, the former president declared, “I never wrote a picture in my life. I don’t draw pictures of women.” He reiterated his stance on the social media platform Truth Social, claiming, “I don’t draw pictures.”
Despite Trump’s assertions, Dr. Lowery Lockard, who organized a charity auction in 2004 for the Hattie Larlham nonprofit, revealed that Trump sent her two signed drawings for the event. Lockard described her surprise at the quality of Trump’s doodles, stating, “It was somebody we reached out to. It just wasn’t really something that I would have expected.”
The existence of these signed drawings raises questions about Trump’s adamant denial regarding his artistic abilities. According to Lockard, Trump’s doodles were done in gold sharpie and featured the iconic New York City skyline, a fitting choice for his public persona as a real estate mogul.
In addition to the drawings from Lockard’s auction, other artworks attributed to Trump have fetched impressive prices at auction houses. For example, a sketch of a tree with dollar bills, signed “Donald Trump,” sold for $8,500, and a depiction of the Empire State Building went for $16,000 at Julien’s Auctions in Los Angeles in 2017. Another minimalist sketch of the New York City skyline achieved $29,184 that same year.
Lockard noted that she still possesses the authentication documents for Trump’s drawings, further validating their legitimacy. “They sign a release that they’re aware that we’re going to sell them,” she explained. When asked about Trump’s use of the term “wrote a picture,” Lockard responded, “I’m not exactly sure what that terminology means. But I mean, we do have an authentic signature. It was authenticated when we received it.”
One of the drawings auctioned in 2004 has since been returned to charity and will be available for bidding again in September. Lockard anticipates that this particular piece, complete with Trump’s signed letter of authentication, could attract substantial interest, starting bids set at $10,000. “This should raise a pretty penny,” she remarked, emphasizing the uniqueness of the artwork.
Trump continues to maintain his position, denying any involvement in the letter referenced by the Wall Street Journal. In a statement, White House spokesman Steven Cheung reiterated, “As the President has said, the Wall Street Journal printed fake news and he doesn’t draw things like the outlet described.”
As the situation unfolds, the contrast between Trump’s claims and the emerging evidence of his artistic contributions raises intriguing questions about his public persona and the narratives surrounding it.
