Isabella Flores
In April 2025, the Trump administration replaced former President Barack Obama's official portrait with a painting of himself following an assassination attempt. The move sparked criticism, with some accusing the Trump White House of exhibiting dictator energy. Obama's portrait was relocated to the opposite wall in the foyer, replacing the portrait of former President George W. Bush, which was moved to the staircase. This incident is not the first time Trump has made headlines for his portrait-related actions, previously involving the removal of a painting of himself from the Colorado State House.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of incident | April 11, 2025 |
| Obama portrait artist | Robert McCurdy |
| Obama portrait unveil date | 2022 |
| Obama portrait location | Moved to the opposite wall in the foyer of the State Floor, previously occupied by George W. Bush's portrait |
| Trump portrait details | Depicts him with a bloodied face and his fist raised in defiance after surviving an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania |
| Trump portrait artist | Marc Lipp |
| Trump administration response | White House Communications Director Steven Cheung responded to criticism, telling a critic to "pipe down, moron." Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said, "President Trump decided to temporarily display this painting, which represents a pivotal moment in history when he nearly lost his life." |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- Donald Trump replaces Barack Obama's portrait with a painting of himself
- Obama's portrait moved to the opposite wall in the hallway
- Trump's painting depicts him surviving an assassination attempt
- Trump's involvement with paintings outside the White House
- Critics call Trump's White House décor 'tacky and trollish'
Donald Trump replaces Barack Obama's portrait with a painting of himself
On April 11, 2025, a video posted by the White House on social media appeared to show a painting of Donald Trump hanging in place of Barack Obama's portrait. The new artwork depicts Trump in the moments after his attempted assassination in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024. The image of Trump, with blood on his face, raising his right arm in a fist as the Secret Service tackles him, has become a defining moment in his presidential campaign.
The official portrait of former President Barack Obama, which was unveiled in 2022, has been relocated to the opposite side of the hallway, directly across from the new addition. The White House said that Obama's portrait was moved to the spot traditionally occupied by the most recent official presidential portrait, which, in this case, is Trump's. Notably, Obama's immediate successor, Joe Biden, does not yet have an official portrait.
The decision to hang a new presidential likeness without advance notice is unusual, and Trump putting himself in that space could be seen as him breaking with norms. The choice of artwork has also drawn criticism from some presidential historians, who can't recall another president hanging a painting of himself during his term in the White House. Typically, paintings of presidents are hung after they have left office.
This is not the first time Trump has made headlines for his portrait-related actions. Last month, he demanded the removal of a painting of himself from the Colorado State House, which was subsequently taken down.
Starting a Sip and Paint Business: A Beginner's Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Obama's portrait moved to the opposite wall in the hallway
The Trump administration has replaced Barack Obama's official portrait in the White House's grand entrance hallway with a painting of himself surviving an assassination attempt. The former president's portrait, unveiled in 2022, has been moved to the opposite wall in the hallway, where a portrait of former President George W. Bush used to hang. The new portrait of Trump depicts him with a fist raised in defiance, immediately after the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. This image, along with his rallying cry of "fight, fight, fight," became a defining moment in his presidential campaign.
The White House announced the change with a brief video on social media, captioned "Some new artwork at the White House." This move has drawn criticism from some presidential historians, who note that it is unusual for a sitting president to hang a painting of himself in the White House. Typically, paintings of presidents are added to the collection after they have left office.
Obama's portrait was unveiled in 2022 by then-President Joe Biden, who has not yet had his own official portrait commissioned. It is worth noting that this is not the first time Trump has made headlines for his portrait-related actions. Last month, he demanded the removal of a painting of himself from the Colorado State House, which was subsequently taken down.
The shuffling of décor is not uncommon at the White House, and portraits are often rotated. However, the new, striking artwork of Trump has sparked criticism due to its subject matter and the break with norms it represents. The choice to display a painting based on a photograph of a wounded Trump being embraced by Secret Service agents has been described as "lacking in taste" and indicative of Trump's "quest for dominance and revenge."
Creating Hand Print Shirts: A Step-by-Step Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Trump's painting depicts him surviving an assassination attempt
On April 11, 2025, the White House hung a painting of President Donald Trump depicting him after surviving an assassination attempt. This painting replaced the official portrait of former President Barack Obama, which was unveiled in 2022 by then-President Joe Biden. The new portrait of Trump, created by artist Marc Lipp, shows him with a wounded appearance, his fist raised defiantly in the air, and shouting "fight, fight, fight!". This image became a defining moment in his presidential campaign.
The White House announced the change on social media, captioning the post with "Some new artwork at the White House." Obama's portrait was relocated to the opposite wall in the foyer, where former President George W. Bush's portrait previously hung. Bush's portrait was moved to the staircase. This is not the first time Trump has made headlines for his portrait-related actions; he previously requested the removal of a painting of himself from the Colorado State House, which was subsequently taken down.
Trump's decision to hang his portrait in the place of his predecessor's can be seen as a break with norms. Traditionally, portraits of the two most recent former presidents are displayed in the foyer, and Trump, as a former president himself, is in the unique position of deciding where to hang his own portrait. The sitting president typically hosts their immediate predecessor for the unveiling of their portrait, but Trump did not extend this courtesy to Obama. Instead, it was left to President Biden and his wife, Jill, to welcome the Obamas to the White House for the unveiling of their portraits.
Trump's new portrait depicts a moment after the assassination attempt against him in July 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania, during one of his rallies. The aftermath of the attempt involved Trump standing up with a wounded appearance, his fist raised, and shouting "fight, fight, fight!". Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wiles, witnessed the immediate aftermath, seeing Trump covered in blood but believing he would be okay. Trump walked into the hospital, refusing to use a stretcher, and later received an influx of calls and messages expressing support and admiration for his courage.
Flipping Layers in Paint Tool Sai: A Quick Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Trump's involvement with paintings outside the White House
Former US President Donald Trump replaced former President Barack Obama's official portrait in the White House's grand entrance hallway with a painting of himself surviving an assassination attempt. The new portrait depicted Trump with a fist raised in defiance, an image that became a defining moment in his presidential campaign. This move drew criticism from some presidential historians, who could not recall another president hanging a painting of himself during his term in the White House.
Trump's involvement with paintings extends outside the White House as well. Last month, a painting of Trump that hung with other presidential portraits at the Colorado State Capitol was taken down after he complained that his likeness was "purposefully distorted." This incident sparked controversy, with Trump directing a barrage of insults at the Colorado artist on his social media platform, Truth Social.
In addition to his portrait choices, Trump has made other notable changes to the White House décor. He added custom-made gold finishes to the Oval Office, including gilded carvings on the fireplace mantel and crown molding. Trump has also expressed interest in building a ballroom in the White House, offering to fund the project himself. These changes reflect his desire to leave his mark on the historic residence.
The relocation of Obama's portrait and the addition of Trump's new painting highlight the former president's unique approach to the traditional norms of the White House. While the shuffling of décor is not uncommon, the subject matter and timing of Trump's chosen artwork have sparked discussions about the appropriateness and potential motives behind the display of a sitting president's portrait during their term.
Inserting Text onto JPEGs Using Paint: A Step-by-Step Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Critics call Trump's White House décor 'tacky and trollish'
In April 2025, Donald Trump replaced former President Barack Obama's official portrait with a painting of himself surviving an assassination attempt. The new artwork, depicting a bloodied Trump with his fist raised in defiance, was placed in the White House's grand entrance hallway, previously occupied by Obama's portrait. This portrait was unveiled in 2022 by then-President Joe Biden and was relocated to the opposite wall in the foyer, where former President George W. Bush's portrait had hung. Bush's portrait was moved to the staircase.
Trump's decision to hang his own portrait in the White House has been criticised as "tacky and trollish", reflecting a "quest for dominance and revenge". This move breaks with the tradition of displaying portraits of former presidents after they have left office. Presidential historians and critics have expressed dismay, with some accusing the Trump administration of exhibiting "dictator energy".
In addition to the portrait controversy, Trump has made other notable changes to the White House décor. He added a ballroom and flagpoles, and brought in his Mar-a-Lago "gold guy", John Icart, to add custom-made gold finishes to the Oval Office. This included gilded carvings for the fireplace mantel and crown molding.
Trump has also been involved with paintings outside of the White House. In 2025, a painting of him at the Colorado State Capitol was taken down after he complained that his likeness was "purposefully distorted". This removal occurred within hours of his complaint on his social media platform, Truth Social.
Spotting True Art: Originals vs Copies
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
No, the Trump administration did not take down Obama's painting. It was relocated to the entrance hall of the White House state floor, where George W. Bush's portrait used to hang.
A painting of Donald Trump depicting the moments after his attempted assassination in Butler, Pennsylvania, replaced Obama's painting.
Obama's painting was replaced to make room for the new addition—a painting of Donald Trump.
