The artist, who sketched former President Donald Trump’s arraignment last week in Florida, has responded to criticism that he portrays the president as younger and more fit than he actually is.
“We rarely get any kind of feedback,” sketch artist William J. Hennessy Jr., 65, told The Boston Globe.
Hennessey was one of three artists who captured Trump during his arraignment in a federal courthouse in Miami last Tuesday. Trump has been indicted on 37 federal counts related to willful retention of defense information, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and making false statements. President Trump has pleaded not guilty and accused the charges of a “witch hunt.”
The sketch was criticized on social media by some people who claimed Hennessey portrayed Trump as younger than he was 77 and thinner than he actually was.
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A sketch of former President Donald Trump in a Miami courtroom by artist William J. Hennessy. (Fox News)
“Is this William J. Hennessy Jr.’s audition to paint the official White House portrait of President Trump?” one Twitter user asked. sketch.
“They made Trump look like ‘Prince of the Tides’ Nick Nolte in this sketch,” said another. written by a twitter user.
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A sketch of former President Donald Trump in a Miami courtroom by artist William J. Hennessy. (Fox News)
“Trump’s final sketch looks almost identical to a recent photo of his son Barron.” written by another person.
Hennessy told Grove that he received mixed reactions to his sketches, half positive and half critical.
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Court sketch artist William J. Hennessy Jr. attends the Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard defamation trial in Fairfax County Circuit Court on April 21, 2022 in Fairfax, Virginia. (Jim Lo Scalzo/Pool via Reuters)
“Some said it was too thin, too young, some said it looked too good,” said Hennessey, who said the negative comments seemed to come from people “who don’t care too much about Trump.” .
For Hennessy, the day in the Miami courtroom was “pretty stressful,” but he said he drew the sketches exactly as he saw them.
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“I don’t edit,” he said. “I just paint what I see.”
