Report: Trumps ask Guggenheim for painting, receive golden toilet offer instead

The solid 18k gold toilet has been on display in a public restroom at the Guggenheim Museum

Maurizio Cattelan's “America” was on display at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York from Sept. 15, 2016 to Sept. 15, 2017.

Photo credit: Kristopher McKay

After requesting to borrow a Van Gogh painting from the Guggenheim Museum for display at the White House last fall, President and Mrs. Trump were instead offered "America" — a solid gold and fully functional toilet created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan.

The toilet had just been taken off display at the museum, where it had been available for public use.

In a letter from Guggenheim Artistic Director Nancy Spector to White House Staffer Donna Hayashi Smith, Spector called the toilet "a marvelous work" that "beautifully channels the history of 20th century avant-garde art by referencing Marcel Duchamp's famous urinal of 1917." She offered the toilet to the Trumps as "a long-term loan," according to an email obtained by the Washington Post.

According to Fox Business host Stuart Varney, the offer is a "slap in the face" to the president and first lady.