The latest picture of Donald Trump for the front cover of Time Magazine appears to reference a famous portrait of a convicted Nazi war criminal, according to a new report.
The image, released ahead of the print issue’s publication next week, shows the president with hands clasped leaning over the Resolute Desk, and he is framed between two flags behind him. “TRUMP’S WORLD,” the caption reads.
Social media users were quick to point out that the image and its composition is reminiscent of a famous 1963 portrait of German Industrialist Alfried Krupp, which was taken by Arnold Newman for Newsweek.
During World War II, Krupp ran a major arms manufacturer for the Nazis and was later convicted as a war criminal for his company’s use of Jews, prisoners of war and others as slave labor. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison, but served only three and was later pardoned.
In the psychologically charged image, which Newman, who was Jewish, initially refused to take, Krupp is also seen leaning forwards towards the camera, fingers interlocked, framed by two pillars of his factory. The lighting is eerily similar to that of a horror movie.
Time photographer Stephen Voss, was asked about the similarity after he posted his work to Instagram. “Are you referencing Arnold Newman’s portrait of Krupp here?” one user wrote.
Voss liked the comment, according to The Daily Beast, though appeared to have un-liked it later.
The Independent has contacted Voss for comment on whether he intended any similarities between his picture and Newman’s.
In a statement to the Daily Beast, Time Magazine said: “There is no connection and claims suggesting otherwise are completely untrue. The references for this photoshoot were past presidential portraits in the Oval Office, including TIME’s own covers. Giving weight to speculation on social media is reckless and contributes to the spread of misinformation.”
It comes after Time Magazine’s owner Marc Benioff, who is also the CEO of Salesforce, revealed his support for Trump, declaring that he “fully supports” the president’s suggestion that National Guard troops be sent to San Francisco.
Trump was unimpressed with his last Time cover, which featured a somewhat unflattering picture taken from a low angle, with the sun shining above him.
“Time Magazine wrote a relatively good story about me, but the picture may be the Worst of All Time,” Trump fumed on social media.
“They ‘disappeared’ my hair, and then had something floating on top of my head that looked like a floating crown, but an extremely small one. Really weird! I never liked taking pictures from underneath angles, but this is a super bad picture, and deserves to be called out. What are they doing, and why?”
