Washington DC [US], April 12 : A new portrait of President Donald Trump was swapped with that of former President Barack Obama in the hallway of the White House on Friday (local time).
The painting depicts Trump moments after a bullet grazed his ear during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, last July. Trump is shown 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."
https://x.com/HFields47/status/1910779398770593801
The portrait is displayed in the Grand Foyer of the East Wing, while former President Barack Obama's portrait has been relocated 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.
As per the New York Post, the new paintingwhich appears to be an artistic interpretation of one of the iconic images captured by New York Times photographer Doug Mills in Butler, Pa., last Julyis hanging in a prominent spot in the Grand Foyer of the East Wing of the White House, social media posts from the White House and White House officials show.
https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/1910764795382349948
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 is an author and school safety advocate whose 18-year-old daughter, Meadow, was among the 17 students killed in the 2018 mass shooting 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 social media users have criticized the move, calling it "dictator energy" and questioning Trump's priorities. Typically, paintings of presidents and first ladies are hung in the White House after they have left office.
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