‘New artwork at White House’: Donald Trump’s new painting replaces Barack Obama’s portrait in foyer
The White House on Friday swapped the portrait of former US President Barack Obama from a prominent spot in the foyer of the State Floor with a new painting of US President Donald Trump, depicting the dramatic aftermath of the assassination attempt on him last summer.
According to news agency AP, the decision, made without public notice, has again highlighted Trump’s break with long-standing White House traditions.
The painting, by artist Marc Lipp, captures the moment Trump raised his fist and shouted “fight, fight, fight!” after being grazed by a bullet during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania in July 2024, a phrase that went on to become a defining slogan of his reelection bid.
The White House unveiled the painting on X with the caption “Some new artwork at the White House” and an emoji of eyes.
According to the AP, the work was donated by school safety advocate Andrew Pollack via the Blue Gallery in Delray Beach, Florida. Pollack’s daughter Meadow, was one of the victims of the 2018 Parkland school shooting and he has since become a prominent voice on gun safety.
Obama’s portrait, which was unveiled at the White House in 2022 during an event hosted by then-US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, hasn’t been removed entirely but has been relocated to a different wall where George W Bush’s portrait once hung. The Bush portrait will reportedly be moved closer to that of his father, George HW Bush, near the staircase to the presidential residence.
By tradition, the White House foyer displays the portraits of the two most recent former presidents. Trump, having now served two non-consecutive terms, is in the unusual position of being both a current and former president, complicating the usual rotation. Still, replacing a predecessor’s portrait with one’s own is considered a significant departure from protocol.
As per AP, portrait unveilings have traditionally been bipartisan and gracious affairs. George W Bush hosted Bill Clinton for his unveiling and Barack Obama welcomed Bush and his wife, Laura in 2012.
Trump, however, declined to host the Obamas during his first term, breaking with that tradition. It wasn’t until Biden returned to office that the Obamas were welcomed back to the White House for their portrait ceremony.
Friday’s unexpected switch comes just a month after Trump objected to a painting of him displayed in the Colorado state Capitol, claiming it was “purposefully distorted.” That portrait was later removed following his complaint.
The White House portrait collection, which begins with George Washington, has grown over centuries. Some of the earliest artworks were gifts, but since the 1960s, the White House Historical Association, founded by Jacqueline Kennedy, has funded most presidential and first lady portraits.
Not all portraits are always on display; some are in storage or undergoing conservation, according to Stewart McLaurin, president of the association.
