US President Donald Trump celebrated the New Year at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, where he led a charity auction. The main lot of the evening was a portrait of Jesus Christ, created directly during the event. The painting was purchased for $2.75 million. This was reported by Independent, writes UNN.
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Trump promised to donate the proceeds to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the local sheriff's office. The author of the work was artist Vanessa Gorabuena, who specializes in Christian art and speed painting. The President called her one of the greatest contemporary artists, noting that it took her only 10 minutes to create the canvas.
The course of bidding at Mar-a-Lago
The auction was held in the grand ballroom named after Donald J. Trump in front of guests who paid $1,450 for admission. The starting price of the lot was $100,000, but bids quickly crossed the one million mark. The President actively participated in the process, joking with potential buyers about their wealth and his ability to persuade people to spend money on charity.
When the amount reached $2.5 million, Trump, in his characteristic manner, fueled the excitement of those present, jokingly confusing the numbers and asking about doubling the bid. The final offer of $2.75 million was the winning one, after which the owner of the painting was invited to the stage for a joint photo.
Guests and festive atmosphere
At the New Year's gala, the President was accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump in a silver evening gown. The event gathered many influential political and business figures. Among those present were Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, and Trump's long-time associate Rudy Giuliani.
Also among the guests were representatives of big business and media, including billionaire Hussain Sajwani and film director Brett Ratner. The latter is currently working on a documentary about Melania Trump. The party concluded the year in the traditional Mar-a-Lago style of lavish celebration with a charitable slant.
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