The painting by Robert McCurdy had been in a spot where thousands of visitors would see it during tours. Now it sits near the private living quarters, only seen by the first family, certain staff, and security. Portraits of George W. Bush and George H. W. Bush were also moved there.
Back in April, the Obama portrait was taken down from the Grand Foyer and replaced with a painting of Trump surviving an assassination attempt. Usually, the most recent presidents have their portraits displayed in the entrance hall for events and tours.
Trump and Obama have traded sharp words lately. Trump accused Obama and his administration of treason during the 2016 election.
Obamaโs office called that โoutrageous,โ โbizarre,โ and โa weak attempt at distraction.โ Not long after, Attorney General Pamela Bondi had prosecutors bring a grand jury together to look into claims that Obama officials made up intelligence about Russian interference.
Trumpโs relationship with the Bush family has also been rocky. The late George H. W. Bush once called him a โblowhardโ and voted for Hillary Clinton.
George W. Bush, called a โfailed and uninspiringโ president by Trump, went to Trumpโs 2025 inauguration but skipped the luncheon after the ceremony.
Trump has been hands-on with White House dรฉcor before. In his first term, he replaced portraits of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush in the Grand Foyer with portraits of William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt.
Official portraits of presidents have been a tradition since the early 1960s, funded by the White House Historical Association. Unveiling events usually have the current and former presidents together as a gesture of goodwill.
