The artist who painted former First Lady Michelle Obamas official White House portrait has pulled her latest show from a D.C. Museum this week after the spaces owners wanted to alter one of her works to avoid offending President Donald Trump, The New York Times reported Thursday.Artist Amy Sherald withdrew her solo show from the Smithsonians National Portrait Gallery after she was told her painting "Trans Forming Liberty" a depiction of the Statue of Liberty as a trans woman may be removed by the gallery."I entered into this collaboration in good faith, believing that the institution shared a commitment to presenting work that reflects the full, complex truth of American life. Unfortunately, it has become clear that the conditions no longer support the integrity of the work as conceived," Sherald said in a letter to Smithsonian secretary Lonnie Bunch III.DEFUNDING DEI: HERES HOW THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS UNDONE BIDENS VERY PRIZED PROGRAMSSherald painted the portrait of Obama currently owned by the National Portrait Gallery. The work, which is a grayscale image of the former First Lady that features some brighter colors near the bottom of her floor-length dress, generated controversy when it was unveiled in 2018.Critics online savaged the more abstract elements of the portrait, and some ripped the work for not looking anything like Obama.Courting controversy once again, Sherald refused to have "Trans Forming Liberty" altered or removed from her "American Sublime" gallery that was set to debut at the museum in September. In a statement she produced Thursday that was shared with Fox News Digital, the artist said she was "informed that concerns had been raised internally" about the work."These concerns led to discussions about removing the work from the exhibition," she said. "While no single person is to blame, it's clear that institutional fear shaped by a broader climate of political hostility toward trans lives played a role."In a separate statement obtained by The Times, Sherald said that Bunch had proposed replacing the transgender depiction with a video of people reacting to it an idea the artist rejected."When I understood a video would replace the painting, I decided to cancel," she said. "The video would have opened up for debate the value of trans visibility and I was opposed to that being a part of the American Sublime narrative."WHITE HOUSE VOWS TO IMPLEMENT 'SYSTEM OF MERIT' IN US, DISMANTLE DEI 'STRANGULATION'However, a Smithsonian spokesperson disputed Sheralds account of Bunchs proposed alterations."The video was to accompany the painting as a way to contextualize the piece, "It was not to replace Amy Sheralds painting," they said in a statement.When asked for comment, the Smithsonian pointed Fox News Digital to its recent statement on the matter."While we understand Amys decision to withdraw her show from the National Portrait Gallery, we are disappointed that Smithsonian audiences will not have an opportunity to experience American Sublime,'" it read."Unfortunately, we could not come to an agreement with the artist. We remain appreciative and inspired by Ms. Sherald, her artwork and commitment to portraiture," it added.CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURESheralds exit comes after Trump signed an executive order in March to remove leftist ideology and historical revisionism from government institutions. In the order, he called out the Smithsonian for having "come under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology.""This shift has promoted narratives that portray American and Western values as inherently harmful and oppressive," he added.Trump also declared he would be firing the Portrait Gallerys director, Kim Sajet, for being a "strong supporter of D.E.I." Sajet resigned from her role in June.The White House provided Fox News Digital with a quote from Trump admin official Lindsey Halligan blasting Sherald's artwork."The Trans Forming Liberty painting, which sought to reinterpret one of our nations most sacred symbols through a divisive and ideological lens, fundamentally strayed from the mission and spirit of our national museums. The Statue of Liberty is not an abstract canvas for political expression it is a revered and solemn symbol of freedom, inspiration, and national unity that defines the American spirit."She added, "President Trumps Executive Order mandates that such institutions serve not as platforms for ideological division, but as sources of unity, inspiration and pride of our shared history. The removal of this exhibit is a principled and necessary step toward restoring that purpose."