logo
Report: Trump moves Obama, Bush portraits to hidden stairwell

Report: Trump moves Obama, Bush portraits to hidden stairwell

Daily Mail​2 days ago
Donald Trump exiled the presidential portrait of his predecessor Barack Obama to a less prominent position, out of view from thousands of visitors who tour the White House every day. The portraits of Trump's other recent predecessors, including former President George W. Bush and his father George H.W. Bush have also been removed from prominent areas of the White House, according to a report from CNN.
Sources told the outlet that Trump personally ordered his staffers to move Obama's portrait to the top of the Grand Staircase leading to the White House residence. This area is restricted to Secret Service, the first family, and only a select White House staff.
Moreover, both Bush portraits have joined Obama's painting in the same obscure staircase away from the eyes of thousands of White House visitors. Historically, White House protoco l has been to place portraits of recent former presidents in prominent areas visible to guests at the White House.
Back in April, the White House moved Obama's portrait from the left-hand side of the White House Grand Foyer to the right-hand side of the entryway, near the piano. Obama's likeness was replaced by a painting of President Donald Trump shouting 'fight, fight, fight' during his first assassination attempt.
The president is directly involved with almost every detail regarding the aesthetic and styling of the White House, no matter how big or small, according to a CNN report. Previously, Trump inserted a self portrait in the White House right next to his former 2016 rival Hillary Clinton.
An April photo of the Trump painting shows it in between a portrait of First Lady Barbara Bush and her predecessor, Clinton. The self portrait is a close up of Trump's face imposed over with the America flag's stars and stripes.
Trump's latest slight against Obama showcases the tensions between the two presidents in recent months. Earlier this month, Trump accused Obama and his members of his administration of committing treason following the result of the 2016 election.
Obama's office issued a response to Trump's claims calling them 'bizarre' and 'a weak attempt at distraction.' Attorney General Pam Bondi later ordered DOJ prosecutors to start a grand jury probe into allegations that top Obama officials manufactured intelligence regarding Russia's involvement in the 2016 election.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

A tale of two Chief Pams: Federal takeover brings confusion over command of DC police
A tale of two Chief Pams: Federal takeover brings confusion over command of DC police

The Independent

time9 minutes ago

  • The Independent

A tale of two Chief Pams: Federal takeover brings confusion over command of DC police

Attorney General Pam Bondi is effectively in charge of the police department in Washington, D.C. — so says the White House. But the city's police force already has a Pam at the helm — Chief Pamela Smith — and she says she only reports to the mayor. D.C. and federal officials say they are working together after President Donald Trump announced he was placing the police department in the nation's capital under federal control to crack down on violent crime. But despite the unified tone, the unusual arrangement is raising questions about who gets to make decisions about D.C. police resources, personnel and policy and — in the event of a disagreement — which Pam gets the final say. According to D.C. leaders, the attorney general can request services of the mayor, but nothing has changed when it comes to the chain of command and the department's funding. And when pressed Tuesday about who she reports to in light of the federal takeover, Smith said: 'I answer to Mayor Muriel Bowser.' 'Let us not have any controversy with that, OK?' Smith told reporters outside the Justice Department after meeting with Bondi and other federal officials. 'Because I know people want to build upon and create division. We're here to work together with our federal partners, and that's what we're going to do.' Yet hours later, the White House struck a different tone, suggesting the ultimate authority lies in the hands of Bondi and Terry Cole, the Drug Enforcement Administration director whom Trump has tapped to serve as interim federal administrator of the police force. 'We plan to work with the Metropolitan Police Department, but ultimately, the chain of command is as such: the president of the United States, the attorney general of the United States, our DEA administrator, Terry Cole, who is now serving head of the chief of the Metropolitan Police Department,' White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters. Cole is working with Smith 'to ensure that law enforcement officers are allowed to do their jobs in the city,' Leavitt said. Justice Department officials have not answered questions about whether the Trump administration believes it has the authority to make decisions about D.C. personnel, and whether the attorney general has issued any new orders for the police force. Smith took on her role as police chief in the nation's capital in November 2023 and briefly served in other units, including the homeland security bureau. She also led the police force's diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and had served as chief of the United States Park Police after a long career in that federal force. The law allows Trump to take over the D.C. police for up to 30 days, though the White House has suggested it could last longer as authorities later 'reevaluate and reassess.' Extending federal control past that time would require congressional approval, something likely tough to achieve in the face of Democratic resistance. Hundreds of federal officers from the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and other agencies have been doing overnight patrols in Washington since last week. Cole said federal officers would be 'embedded' with D.C. police to patrol the streets, but did not offer specific details on what would change in the chain of command. Even so, he described Smith as 'very accommodating' and said she was sharing ideas, giving him an office at police headquarters, and introducing him to staff. 'We have tremendous cooperation, tremendous intel sharing, and what's most encouraging, the police are looking forward to doing their job again,' Cole said in a Fox News interview.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store