Donald Trump has removed longtime adversary Barack Obama‘s presidential portrait from a prominent place reserved for former presidents in the White House entrance hall to make room for a portrait of a man he truly respects and admires. Himself.
The painting mirrors the famous photograph taken by Associated Press photographer Evan Vucci in the moments after 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks fired a shot at the president during a campaign stop in Butler, Pennsylvania last summer. It shows a defiant Trump, blood trickling from his ear, fist pumped in the air. A photo some considered controversial for the many conspiracy theories it has fueled.
Journalist Yahshar Ali confirmed the move on X, posting “The White House, which has posted a video of President Trump’s portrait, says President Obama’s portrait was moved to a different location in the entrance hall.”
Obama, the former president observed in 2020, has been renting space in Trump’s head for a while. Their adversarial relationship began when Trump began promoting the racist conspiracy theory that Obama wasn’t born in the United States and was thus ineligible to be president. Trump also questioned the former president’s religious identity, implying that Obama was Muslim.
On April 30, 2011 the two men found themselves at the annual White House Correspondents Dinner, where Obama would be speaking. Obama roasted a number of politicians and media figures but saved his best lines for the real estate tycoon.
“I know that he’s taken some flak lately, but no one is happier, no one is prouder to put this birth certificate matter to rest than the Donald,” Obama said. “And that’s because he can finally get back to focusing on the issues that matter — like, did we fake the moon landing? What really happened in Roswell? And where are Biggie and Tupac?”
Obama continued to mock Trump’s credentials as he discussed a recent episode of “Celebrity Apprentice”
“At the steakhouse, the men’s cooking team cooking did not impress the judges from Omaha Steaks. And there was a lot of blame to go around,” he said. “But you, Mr. Trump, recognized that the real problem was a lack of leadership. And so ultimately, you didn’t blame Lil’ Jon or Meatloaf. You fired Gary Busey. And these are the kind of decisions that would keep me up at night. Well-handled, sir. Well-handled.”
It was that night, longtime Republican operative Roger Stone said, when Trump resolved to run for president.
“I think that he is kind of motivated by it: ‘Maybe I’ll just run. Maybe I’ll show them all,’” Stone told “Frontline.”
Trump cannot tolerate public humiliation, “and this is why he often attempts to humiliate and shame other people,” his biographer, Michael D’Antonio, said.
Since then, Obama has purposely refused to engage his successor, even as Trump has ridiculed and demeaned the former president, accusing him of treason, among other alleged sins.
In fact, the presidential portrait of Obama was supposed to have been unveiled during Trump’s first team. It was a tradition that first started in 1978, when Jimmy Carter hosted his predecessor Gerald Ford for a portrait ceremony. In 2004, for example, George W. Bush hosted the Clintons, and eight years later, Obama welcomed Bush.
But neither Obama or Trump was interested in maintaining that tradition – by mutual agreement. Obama’s portrait was finally unveiled in 2022 by then-President Joe Biden.
Social media users were not surprised by Trump’s latest slight.
“So Trump ditched tradition, broke protocol, and took down Barack Obama’s portrait — just to hang his own,” wrote Democratic political strategist Chris Jackson. “Straight-up tin pot dictator energy. Insecure and petty to the end.“
Jackson’s tweet garnered hundreds of responses. Many in disagreement. One commenter said, “Stop lying. Don’t be ridiculous. Obama’s is still up, just moved a few feet away.”
It’s unclear if Trump will honor protocol when Biden’s photo has to placed in the entrance hall.
