As the final hours of 2025 ticked away, President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, once again became the epicenter of a New Year’s Eve celebration that blended spectacle, politics, and a dash of the unexpected. This year’s festivities, held on December 31, were punctuated by a live art auction that saw a hastily painted portrait of Jesus Christ fetch an eye-popping $2.75 million, according to reporting from ARTnews and Hyperallergic. The event, attended by a constellation of political allies, family members, and international guests, offered a microcosm of Trump’s unique approach to public life—part showmanship, part pageantry, and always headline-grabbing.
The centerpiece of the night was a performance by Vanessa Horabuena, a self-described Christian worship artist. In front of a well-heeled crowd, Horabuena took to the stage and, in just ten minutes, conjured a blue-eyed likeness of Christ as covers of "Hallelujah" and other religious anthems played in the background. Trump, narrating the moment for his audience and for cameras broadcasting on right-leaning outlet Newsmax, lavished praise on the artist. "There’s a young lady named Vanessa who’s one of the greatest artists anywhere in the world," Trump said, adding, "She can paint, slowly, a beautiful portrait for the White House, or she can paint the most incredible painting in literally 10 minutes."
The painting itself—a fair-skinned, light-eyed figure reminiscent of an AI-generated Shroud of Turin—was described by Trump as "amazing." Before the bidding began, the former president called out to his sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, asking them to name their favorite charities. Trump then announced that the auction’s proceeds would benefit the sheriff’s department and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, although he stopped short of specifying which sheriff’s department would receive the funds. As Hyperallergic noted, the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Department has played a role in assisting the Secret Service in protecting Trump during his time in office.
The bidding started at $100,000, but quickly escalated. "These people are loaded with cash, just so you know," Trump quipped to the crowd, according to ARTnews. When the gavel finally came down, the painting had sold for $2.75 million—far above Horabuena’s usual price range of $15,000 to $40,000 for her devotional works. The winning bid reportedly came from an unnamed woman in a top hat, as reported by The Guardian. Trump, visibly pleased, signed the painting alongside Horabuena and posed for photos with the triumphant bidder.
The Mar-a-Lago New Year’s Eve gala has been a Trump family tradition for two decades, regularly drawing celebrities and political figures alike. This year’s guest list was no less star-studded. Among the attendees were Emirati billionaire Hussain Sajwani, Hollywood director Brett Ratner—who is currently working on an Amazon documentary about Melania Trump—former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with his wife, Sara. Also present were Trump’s family members, including Donald Trump Jr. and his fiancée Bettina Anderson, Eric Trump and Lara Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and the president’s youngest son, Barron Trump, who made a rare public appearance.
Barron, now 19, drew attention not just for his infrequent public outings, but for his remarkable height. According to the USA TODAY Network, Barron is at least 6'7" tall—possibly even taller, with some reports suggesting up to 6'9"—making him the tallest member of the Trump family. For comparison, Donald Trump stands at 6'3", Melania at 5'11", Eric Trump at 6'5", Donald Trump Jr. at 6'1", Ivanka Trump at 5'11", Tiffany Trump at 5'8", and Lara Trump at 5'11". Lara herself once remarked on her podcast that meeting Eric was memorable because he was "some really tall guy out" at a party.
Photos from the night, published by Reuters and Palm Beach Daily News, captured the family mingling with guests, greeting dignitaries, and celebrating the dawn of 2026. Trump and Melania made their entrance to applause, with the president stopping to speak with guests and pose for photos. Eric and Lara Trump, both fixtures at family events, were seen chatting with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro were also in attendance, underscoring the mix of political and personal connections that define Trump’s social orbit.
The New Year’s Eve celebration came just days after a high-profile meeting between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago. On December 29, security was tight around the club, with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office blocking traffic near Bingham Island and the U.S. Coast Guard patrolling the nearby Intracoastal Waterway, as reported by Palm Beach Daily News. Netanyahu also met with U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth at the Four Seasons Resort in Palm Beach, highlighting the ongoing diplomatic ties between the U.S. and Israel, even in the context of a private club’s festivities.
While the party’s mood was celebratory, Trump also used the occasion to share his New Year’s resolution: "Peace on Earth." The wish comes at a time of international tension, with CIA-directed strikes in Venezuela and faltering peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. As ARTnews pointed out, February will mark four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine—a sobering backdrop to the night’s festivities.
Elsewhere in Washington, D.C., the White House marked the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary by projecting the number "250" and patriotic shapes onto the Washington Monument. These nightly displays, scheduled through January 5, 2026, are part of a broader effort by the administration to commemorate the founding of the United States, though not without controversy. The White House has reportedly referenced the country’s 250th birthday in communications with the Smithsonian, seeking to influence historical narratives in museum exhibitions throughout the year.
Not everyone in the religious community has embraced Trump’s brand of faith-infused showmanship. Some Christian commentators have criticized his policies—particularly those involving mass deportations—as inconsistent with Christian values, according to Hyperallergic. Still, the spectacle of auctioning a portrait of Jesus for millions fits squarely within Trump’s penchant for leveraging religion at pivotal moments, whether for fundraising, political messaging, or both.
As midnight struck and confetti fell, the Mar-a-Lago crowd ushered in 2026 with the same blend of opulence, controversy, and media spectacle that has become synonymous with the Trump brand. The night’s record-breaking art auction, high-profile guest list, and carefully crafted moments of both piety and pageantry offered a vivid snapshot of a family—and a political movement—intent on staying in the center of the national conversation, no matter the occasion.
