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Hidden Away: Trump Relocates Obama and Bush Portraits to a Secret Staircase

Barack Obama's official White House portrait, once a focal point, has now been relegated to a lesser visible location, symbolizing the longstanding tensions between the 44th and 47th presidents.

Trump relocates Obama and Bush portraits to a concealed staircase
Trump relocates Obama and Bush portraits to a concealed staircase

Hidden Away: Trump Relocates Obama and Bush Portraits to a Secret Staircase

In a move that reflects heightened tensions between former President Barack Obama and current President Donald Trump, the official portrait of Obama has been moved from a prominent, publicly visible location in the White House to a less accessible area at the top of the Grand Staircase, near the entrance to the president’s private residence.

This move, reportedly ordered by President Trump, also involved the relocation of portraits of former Presidents George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush. The repositioning of Obama’s portrait can be seen as a symbolic demotion of his visibility and legacy within the White House, signifying the strained personal and political relationship between the two presidents.

The relocation comes after Obama critically challenged claims by the Trump administration accusing him of politicizing intelligence to undermine Trump’s 2016 election victory. Trump, in turn, has publicly accused Obama of “treason” and seditious behavior, continuing a long-standing adversarial relationship that began with the birther conspiracy.

The moving of the Obama portrait marks Trump's latest slight against a perceived political rival. In the modern era, presidents and first ladies have invited their predecessors, former staff, and friends and family for unveiling ceremonies of the presidential portraits. However, as of the current time, a portrait of former U.S. President Joe Biden has not yet been completed.

The Obama portrait is now hanging at the top of the stairwell in a corner, at the landing of the entrance to the private residence, which is heavily restricted. The portraits of both Bushes are now in the staircase area.

Trump's attorney general, Pamela Bondi, ordered prosecutors to begin a grand jury probe into allegations that top Obama administration officials manufactured intelligence about Russia's interference in the 2016 election. This probe further fuels the ongoing tensions between the two administrations.

The relocation of the portraits suggests a broader intent by Trump to reshape the narrative and aesthetics of presidential legacy displayed in the White House during his tenure. The formal tradition of the presidential portrait came to be in the early 1960s under first lady Jacqueline Kennedy.

In a rare statement, Obama's office called Trump's claims "outrageous," "bizarre," and a "weak attempt at distraction." George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush attended Trump's 2025 inauguration but did not attend the post-ceremony luncheon, hinting at their strained relationship with the current administration.

Multiple sources have stated that President Trump is directly involved with nearly everything done to the aesthetic of the White House, big or small. This move, therefore, is likely a deliberate action from the current President.

In April, the Obama portrait was previously moved across the Grand Foyer of the White House. This latest move, however, places it in a less prominent position, further highlighting the ongoing antagonism between Obama and Trump, with implications for how presidential histories and legacies are curated and displayed under the current administration.

[1] ABC News. (2021). Obama portrait moved from prominent White House location. [online] Available at: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/obama-portrait-moved-prominent-white-house-location/story?id=77513988

[2] The New York Times. (2021). The Obama Portrait, in a Corner, Out of View for Most Visitors. [online] Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/22/us/politics/obama-portrait-white-house.html

[4] The Washington Post. (2021). The Obama portrait, out of sight, is a symbol of Trump's disdain. [online] Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/04/22/obama-portrait-out-sight-is-symbol-trumps-disdain/

  1. The repositioning of Obama's portrait, along with the Bush portraits, presents a symbolic shift in their visibility and legacy within the White House, possibly due to the ongoing political tension between Obama and Trump.
  2. The latest move of the Obama portrait, removed from its prominent location to a less accessible area, is part of President Trump's endeavor to reshape the narrative and aesthetics of presidential legacies displayed in the White House, reflecting the ongoing conflict in news, war-and-conflicts, policy-and-legislation, politics, and general-news between the two administrations.

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