On April 11, 2025, visitors to the White House’s Grand Foyer were taken aback by a striking new painting: a vivid portrayal of President Donald Trump raising his fist moments after surviving an assassination attempt during a July 2024 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The artwork, painted by Marc Lipp and donated by school safety advocate Andrew Pollack, replaces the official portrait of former President Barack Obama, which has been relocated within the Grand Foyer. This change breaks with the longstanding tradition of displaying portraits of the two most recent presidents in the Grand Foyer. The White House has not commented on the decision, while the White House Historical Association stated that such matters fall under the purview of the White House. House Beautiful+6People.com+6AP News+6People.com+2AP News+2New York Post+2
The painting is based on photographs taken during the assassination attempt by Associated Press photographer Evan Vucci and New York Times photographer Doug Mills. It depicts Trump with blood on his face, raising his fist defiantly as Secret Service agents protect him. The dramatic image has sparked commentary about Trump’s continued influence and deviation from norms. People.com+1New York Post+1New York Post+1People.com+1AP News
This is not the first time Trump has altered traditional portrait displays. During his prior term, he replaced portraits of Presidents Clinton and Bush with those of former Presidents William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt. People.com
The tradition of presidential portraiture in the White House dates back to the 1960s and is funded by private donations. Portraits are typically introduced during bipartisan ceremonies hosted by the sitting president. However, Trump did not host Obama for his unveiling, which later occurred during Joe Biden’s presidency in 2022. AP News
The new painting’s prominent placement in the Grand Foyer has reignited debates over the role of tradition in the White House and the ways in which presidential imagery is used to convey political messages. As visitors pass through the Grand Foyer, the painting serves as a powerful reminder of a pivotal moment in Trump’s presidency and the evolving nature of presidential portraiture.
