Trump makes controversial decision regarding photos of Obama, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush in the White House
US President Donald Trump’s decision to move portraits of some of his predecessors—Barack Obama and George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush—from public spaces within the White House to a private area closed to visitors has sparked widespread controversy.
The portrait of the 44th President, Barack Obama, which had been displayed at the entrance to the White House, has now been moved to the top of the stairs leading to the private residential section, where only the presidential family, Secret Service employees, and a very limited number of staff are allowed to enter.
This move reflects the continuing tension between Trump and Obama, especially after Trump accused his predecessor of “high treason” in the context of the investigations into alleged Russian interference in the US election.
It also highlights long-standing disagreements with the Bush family, despite George W. Bush and his wife attending Trump’s inauguration in January 2017.
Trump is known to keep a close eye on the White House’s interior, having previously relocated a portrait of Obama in the main lobby and replaced it with a painting depicting the assassination attempt he suffered during his campaign in Pennsylvania.
Traditional White House protocol allows for portraits of former presidents to be displayed in prominent locations where visitors can easily see them, making Trump’s decision to move these portraits indoors an exceptional step that breaks with established tradition.
