White House officials swapped a new portrait of President Donald Trump with that of former President Barack Obama in the hallway on Friday (local time). The painting shows Trump moments after a bullet grazed his ear during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, last July. The artist depicts him defiantly raising his fist in the air, with blood splattered across his face and the American flag in the background.
Special Assistant to the President and White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Harrison Fields clarified in a post on X that “Obama remains in the Entrance Hall of the White House State Floor.”
What Happened To The Portrait
Officials have displayed the portrait in the Grand Foyer of the East Wing and relocated former President Barack Obama’s portrait to the Entrance Hall of the White House State Floor. Fields’ post shows that the Obama painting is still hanging in a prime spot, overlooking former President Franklin D Roosevelt’s Steinway grand piano, as reported by the New York Post.
The White House and its officials shared on social media that they have placed a new painting—an artistic interpretation of an iconic image captured by New York Times photographer Doug Mills last July in Butler, Pa.—in a prominent spot in the Grand Foyer of the East Wing.
Obama remains in the Entrance Hall of the White House State Floor. pic.twitter.com/lOLv7371Cd
— Harrison Fields (@HFields47) April 11, 2025
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The artwork depicts Trump, with blood splattered across his face and the American flag in the background, defiantly raising his fist in the air as Secret Service agents attempt to shield and rush him off stage. The artist behind the painting is Marc Lipp, and Andrew Pollack gifted the piece to the White House, a White House official told The Post.
Pollack, an author and school safety advocate, lost his 18-year-old daughter, Meadow, in the 2018 mass shooting that killed 17 students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Trump has added his personal touch all over the West Wing since taking office in January, as per NYP.
The President has added ornate, gold flourishes to the furniture, fireplace and walls of the Oval Office, reminiscent of the decor at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. Trump has also lined the West Wing with the front pages of The Post that chronicle his stunning political comeback.
Some new artwork at the White House 👀 pic.twitter.com/l6u5u7k82T
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 11, 2025
Social Media Criticizes The Action
Some social media users have criticized the move, calling it “dictator energy” and questioning Trump’s priorities. The White House typically hangs paintings of presidents and first ladies after they leave office.
