Mayor takes down town hall’s portraits of Trump and Pence

President Trump’s portrait has been taken down from the walls of the town hall in Jackson, Wyo.

In a statement via email, Mayor Pete Muldoon insisted he wasn’t making a political decision and was simply declining to honor Trump because it would offend some of Jackson’s residents.

“The Town of Jackson will not take sides by honoring any partisan politician,” Muldoon wrote. “We aren’t required to display signs of respect — our respect is earned, not demanded.”

Trump’s portrait was replaced with one of Native American chief Washakie, a leader of the Shoshone tribe. Vice President Pence’s portrait was taken down as well. 

Muldoon promised that he would make the same decision if President Obama was still in the White House.

“There was a picture of Obama at Town Hall, and it was put up before I was elected mayor,” he wrote. “I don’t believe it should have been displayed either.”

“We all have our own political views, but I don’t think the town should be promoting one over another,” Muldoon continued. “And we do that when we place a politician’s picture up.”

Jackson is the largest town in Teton County, which Hillary Clinton won with 57 percent of the vote. Teton was the only county not to support Donald Trump in the state of Wyoming.