Donald Trump moves official White House portrait of Barack Obama to unusual place and people aren't impressed
Donald Trump has allegedly ordered the official portraits of three former US presidents to be moved to less prominent positions in the White House.
Paintings depicting Barack Obama, George W. Bush and his father, George H. W. Bush, have been dispersed across the Washington abode at 79-year-old Trump’s directive, according to a report by CNN.
Obama’s portrait, unveiled in September 2022, was painted by Robert McCurdy and was originally hung in the White House entryway.
It has since been moved by building staff to the top of the house’s Grand Staircase, as per the outlet.
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The new report claimed that the 44th POTUS’ image is now firmly out of view for the thousands of visitors who tour the White House each year.
The area it now resides in is heavily restricted to members of the First Family, US Secret Agents, and a limited number of White House and executive residence staff.
A source told the publication that the 47th president of the United States has also had both Bush portraits moved to the staircase area.
The painting of Republican President George W. Bush was unveiled in 2012 and was painted by John Howard Sanden.
His father’s likeness was captured by Herbert E. Abrams, who officially revealed the portrait in 1995.
Social media users have blasted Trump for his supposed artwork rejig, with one X user branding him a ‘petty and insecure man.’
“Just when you think he couldn't disrespect more he goes and tops himself again,” someone else claimed.
A third commented: “No worries Trump. The next president will remove every photo of you inside the White House.”
In his first term in office, Trump replaced portraits of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush in the Grand Foyer with William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt.
The images were moved to the Old Family Dining Room, described by CNN as a ‘small, rarely used room that is not seen by most visitors’.
McCurdy previously spoke about his painting of Obama, which sees the Democrat standing in the centre of a blank canvas, dressed in a black suit and grey tie.
“The subject ultimately for me was the idea of the gaze — two people looking directly at each other with nothing else to load the narrative," he said in a video with the Obama Foundation.
"The painting is not telling the story of Barack Obama. It's telling the story of the relationship between the viewer with this particular person. And that's a two-way street.”
Tyla has contacted the White House for further comment.
Trump’s latest artwork switch-up comes just weeks after the Republican shared an AI-generated video of the Democrat being arrested and thrown in jail.
The viral clip, which was reportedly created using real footage of the two politicians meeting at the White House back in November 2016, was overlaid with The Village People’s ‘YMCA’.
Amid the video’s blow-up, Trump accused Obama of treason, for allegedly ordering an assessment that Russia interfered to help Trump win the 2016 election.
Referring to documents published by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, the father-of-five claimed: “Whether it’s right or wrong, it’s time to go after people.”
A representative for Obama pushed back on the allegation, calling the attack ‘a weak attempt at distraction’.
"Out of respect for the office of the presidency, our office does not normally dignify the constant nonsense and misinformation flowing out of this White House with a response,” said Patrick Rodenbush.
“But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one. These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.”
Topics: Donald Trump, Barack Obama, US News, Politics, Social Media
Ella Scott