Washington: A new portrait of President Donald Trump has been swapped with the painting of former President Barack Obama in the White House hallway as of Friday (local time).
The artwork depicts Trump moments after a bullet grazed his ear during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, last July. In the painting, Trump is shown defiantly raising his fist with blood on his face, set against a backdrop of the American flag.
Harrison Fields, Special Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy Press Secretary, clarified via a post on X that Obama’s portrait remains in the Entrance Hall of the White House State Floor.
The new Trump portrait is now displayed prominently in the Grand Foyer of the East Wing, while Obama’s portrait has been moved to a location that still offers it a prime view, overlooking former President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Steinway grand piano, as reported by the New York Post.
The painting appears to be an artistic interpretation inspired by a well-known photograph taken by Doug Mills of the New York Times during the Butler campaign rally last July. It shows Trump defiantly raising his fist amid attempts by Secret Service agents to shield and escort him off the stage.
The artist, Marc Lipp, created the piece, which was gifted to the White House by Andrew Pollack, an author and school safety advocate whose 18-year-old daughter, Meadow, was tragically among the 17 students killed in the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
Since taking office in January, Trump has made personalized changes throughout the West Wing, including adding ornate gold accents to the furniture, fireplace, and walls of the Oval Office, resembling the decor of his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. He has also adorned the West Wing with front pages from The Post that highlight his remarkable political resurgence.
However, some social media users have criticized the portrait change, labeling it as “dictator energy” and questioning Trump’s priorities. Traditionally, portraits of past presidents and first ladies are displayed in the White House only after they have left office.
