President Donald Trump welcomed the New Year at Mar-a-Lago with a black-tie gala that placed Christian worship, charity and public service at center stage, culminating in a $2.75 million auction of a live-painted portrait of Jesus Christ.
The painting was created on stage in roughly 10 minutes by Christian worship artist Vanessa Horabuena, whose speed-painting performance unfolded as guests watched the image emerge on a black canvas while a slow rendition of “Hallelujah” played.
Trump announced that the proceeds from the auction would be donated to St. Jude’s Hospital and the local sheriff’s office, directing millions of dollars toward the care of seriously ill children and support for law enforcement.
“There’s a young lady named Vanessa who’s one of the greatest artists anywhere in the world,” Trump said as he introduced Horabuena to the audience. “To me, she’s one of the greatest… She’s a speed painter, and she’s a great painter, but I think she’s one of the great living artists.”
Order Jonathan Cahn’s Newest Book, “The Avatar” on Amazon.com!
The bidding opened at $100,000 and quickly escalated. Trump accepted a $1 million offer early on and kept the atmosphere lively as competing bids pushed the price higher. “These people are loaded with cash, just so you know,” he said. At one point, he jokingly asked, “$5 million or $2.5 million?” before the final bid landed at $2.75 million.
Trump invited the winning bidder on stage, teasing them about the financial impact of the purchase as the crowd looked on.
First Lady Melania Trump attended the event wearing a silver, floor-length gown. Guests included Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, along with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro, Emirati billionaire Hussain Sajwani and filmmaker Brett Ratner.
Before the auction, Trump addressed attendees by criticizing Democratic leadership in Minnesota, highlighting the success of his reciprocal tariffs program and stating that his New Year’s resolution was to secure “world peace.”
Following the event, Horabuena explained the deeper meaning behind the moment in a Facebook post.
“This moment wasn’t about me, it wasn’t about a painting…this moment was about President Trump setting worship of the Lord on the main stage. What God did this New Years Eve is only the beginning. It’s going to be a beautiful season of God’s great outpouring.”
The evening publicly united Christian worship with tangible charity. Millions of dollars were raised in a single night for seriously ill children and for local law enforcement, placing faith, generosity and public service at the forefront of the New Year’s celebration and marking the event as both consequential and unmistakable in purpose.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine.
