Rantz: Customer livid after Sequim craft store refused to frame iconic Trump photo

Associates at a Michaels craft store in Sequim refused to frame a photo of Donald Trump because it made them uncomfortable, according to the customer. While the store later claimed it was all just a misunderstanding, the customer isn’t convinced.

Greta is a frequent Michaels customer and explained to “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH that staff have always been pleasant with her. But that changed when she visited on Tuesday with a copy of the iconic photo of Trump, fist raised in the air, after the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. But she said the associate wouldn’t frame the photo.

“I am sorry, but I do not feel comfortable framing this print and I don’t think that anyone else in this department will feel comfortable with it, either,” Greta said the associate told her.

Greta then asked another associate she recognized if she would feel comfortable. She said the response was, “No, I don’t feel comfortable doing it either. But what I can do is reach out to the other person in our department, and I will have her call you if she is comfortable with it.”

“At this point, I quickly realized that they are not going to frame the print. So I just left politely,” Greta explained. “It was very unprofessional of them to turn me away. There is nothing morally wrong with the photo. It is a moment in history, and we should all be able to acknowledge and accept that, whether you are on the left or the right of the political spectrum.”

Why was the Donald Trump photo initially rejected at the Michaels in Sequim?

Of all the times she’s visited this Michaels, she said she’d never had a bad experience. It’s why she was thrown by this interaction.

“She was bringing emotions into something that should have been professional,” Greta explained to “The Jason Rantz Show.”

A spokesperson from Michaels told “The Jason Rantz Show” that this was a “misunderstanding” and that “the framing manager reached out to the customer the day after her initial visit to the store to apologize and let her know we would be happy to work with her on her framing project.” The spokesperson would not explain what the misunderstanding was.

The framing manager did, however, reach out to Greta. “The Jason Rantz Show” heard the voicemail the manager left. She indicated the confusion was over whether or not she was allowed to frame “political” art.

“So, I found out I am allowed to do political artwork. I was very confused the other day. I’m sorry. As the manager, I was trying to figure out if I needed to defer it or if it needed to come through somebody else. I can definitely frame your art,” the manager said.

But Greta doesn’t think there was any confusion over policy. Michaels does not appear to have a policy on framing historical or political photos. Greta said Michaels previously framed a photo of Ronald Reagan and John Wayne for her in the past. And the manager went on to state that we’re in a “politically tumultuous time,” and that she would “keep the order wrapped up” so it’s not seen, presumably, by customers or staff.

“I am comfortable framing that if you would like to make an appointment with me so that it goes through me and not my team,” she said.

Greta isn’t returning to Michaels in Sequim

While Greta doesn’t believe there was a misunderstanding, she doesn’t want the employee to be disciplined in any way. She said she came forward to bring attention to the issue so that it doesn’t happen again.

“I just want them to be aware of the situation, and to know that it’s not okay to let your emotions interfere with your profession. They should be aware of this for the next time that a customer brings in something that they may not agree with,” Greta explained.

Greta said she won’t be returning to the store as a customer in the future.

“I personally wouldn’t. I don’t want to reward that kind of behavior,” she said.

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