President Donald Trump is known to like extravagant things. He recently introduced a newly constructed “Presidential Walk of Fame” at the White House. It had complete gold frames of all the past U.S. presidents and one glaring, if bizarre, exception: instead of a photo of Joe Biden, Trump has installed an image of an autopen.
The display, housed along the iconic West Wing Colonnade that connects the Executive Residence to the Oval Office, includes portraits of former leaders such as Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, and Barack Obama. Trump, being Trump, had his image hung twice, once for his 45th presidency and then for his 47th.
As per The Daily Beast, Joe Biden’s portrait was missing, and instead, a black and white photograph of the mechanical device to replicate signatures, which seemed like an indirect jab at him over his alleged use of the autopen during his office.
In addition, Donald Trump has previously called out Biden for using autopen, accusing the former president’s staff of using it behind his back to sign off on official documents, including presidential pardons. He’s even claimed some of those documents may be legally invalid, calling the practice “one of the biggest scandals of all time.”
Trump’s special adviser, Margot Martin, posted a photo of the installation on X (formerly Twitter), writing: “The Presidential Walk of Fame has arrived on the West Wing Colonnade. Wait for it…”
An image shared by the White House showcased Donald Trump walking through the hallway inspecting the wall, his two portraits flanking the photograph of the autopen. The former real estate mogul has also removed portraits of certain past presidents—most notably Barack Obama—and replaced them with artwork celebrating himself.
One such image includes his famous assassination attempt image from Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024. Though Trump survived the attempt, Corey Comperatore lost his life trying to protect the POTUS. Trump’s image from the White House hallway has a picture of him captured during the assassination attempt with the words: “Fight! Fight! Fight!”
Consequently, Trump’s jab at Biden sparked outrage from users online. Chris D. Jackson, chair of the Democratic Party in Lawrence County, Tennessee, called it a “predictable” stunt, and former U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance also condemned the move.
This new move came after Donald Trump decorated the Oval Office with gold accents. The most noticeable change is in the fireplace. When Joe Biden was in power, he adorned the mantle with Swedish ivy, a plant that dates back to the Kennedy era. It’s all gone, replaced with dessert stands and ornamental center pieces.
Similarly, he also converted the Rose Garden into a newly paved patio area. Earlier this year, he revealed plans to replace the grassy Rose Garden with stone pavement. The original garden, designed by Ellen Wilson, wife of President Woodrow Wilson, became famous for its rose bushes and formal landscaping.
Even though the garden underwent several renovations, including one done by Melania Trump in 2020, they were not as intense as this one. Trump justified the redesign by saying it would make the space safer and more accessible for guests, particularly women wearing high heels. That’s not all, the 79-year-old also plans to construct a 90,000-square-foot ballroom in the East Wing before the end of his four-year tenure in 2029.
While the “Presidential Walk of Fame” might be another attempt by Trump to preserve his legacy, many believe it’s his typical attempt to mock his opposition to feudal drama and grab the spotlight.
Your writing is like a breath of fresh air in the often stale world of online content. Your unique perspective and engaging style set you apart from the crowd. Thank you for sharing your talents with us.
It is always about Trump ! Everyone else comes in last !