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US President Trump wanted to exhibit the works of art in a "prominent" location in the White House, says his spokesman
Photo: Evan Vucci / AP
Donald Trump - spontaneously according to media reports - took several works of art from the US ambassador's residence to Washington at the end of his trip to Paris in November 2018.
The US media report, citing its spokesman Judd Deere.
"The president brought these beautiful, historical pieces, which belong to the American people, back to the United States for prominent display in the White House," the Bloomberg news agency quoted Trump spokesman Deere as saying.
But the works of art are apparently not really historical: Even if they are said to be worth around 750,000 dollars according to a Bloomberg insider, they are apparently replicas.
According to the report, this should have resulted from an examination by curators of the White House when the works were already in Washington.
The news agency cites two unspecified people in its report.
According to Bloomberg, it is a bust and portrait of Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the United States.
The original of the Franklin portrait was then in the National Portrait Gallery a mile from the White House.
The bust is also a replica.
Trump is also said to have taken a number of silver figures from Greek mythology with him.
These were made by a Neapolitan artist in the early 20th century, according to an art collector in the Bloomberg report.
He designed the figures in such a way that at first glance they looked like they were from the 16th or 17th century, said the expert.
Trump is said to have taken art with him in Air Force One
Trump lived in the Ambassador's Residence, a historic building from 1842, during his visit, the report says.
After - as the White House states - the president's helicopter could not take off due to rain and the visit to a military cemetery was canceled, Trump is said to have stayed several hours in the residence and admired the art.
The next day, Trump pointed to the bust, the portrait and the figures and ordered them to be taken to the USA in Air Force One.
Ambassador Jamie McCourt was surprised but did not object, the report said.
Lawyers from the US State Department quickly checked whether the President was allowed to take the works of art with him.
The removal is said to have been assessed as legal because the works of art are owned by the US government.
It is the second time in a few days that Trump's trip to France has been a topic of conversation.
The other case, however, has a much more serious background.
The US magazine "The Atlantic" reported a few days ago that Trump had described fallen US soldiers as "losers" and "idiots" during his visit to World War I.
Allegations of soldiers are becoming a problem for Trump
The US President had therefore rejected a planned visit to the US military cemetery Aisne-Marne near Paris with the words: "Why should I visit this cemetery? It is full of losers."
This contradicts what the White House said.
Trump denied the allegations in a series of angry tweets.
On Friday, the Republican, who wants to be re-elected for a second term in November, said it was a "fake story".
For him, fallen soldiers are "absolute heroes".
He demanded the dismissal of a correspondent for the television station Fox News, who had partially confirmed the allegations from the "Atlantic" report.
For Trump, the allegations could well become a problem so shortly before the elections.
In view of his backlog in the polls, he cannot afford to alienate other potential voters.
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