The White House has stirred controversy after replacing a portrait of former President Barack Obama with a dramatic painting depicting the moment Donald Trump was grazed by a bullet during an assassination attempt.
The incident occurred on July 13 last year, when 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire from a rooftop during a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Crooks fired eight rounds, fatally striking one audience member and injuring two others.
One bullet grazed Trump’s right ear, leaving him bloodied but conscious. Photographs captured the former president raising his fist defiantly as Secret Service agents rushed to protect him—an image that quickly became symbolic among his supporters.
Crooks was shot and killed at the scene by law enforcement.
Now, an artistic rendering of that moment—based on the photo taken by Associated Press photographer Evan Vucci—has taken center stage in the Grand Foyer of the White House’s East Wing, a space typically reserved for the official portrait of the most recently departed president.
Until now, that position was held by a photorealistic portrait of Barack Obama, painted by Robert McCurdy, which had hung there since September 2022.
The painting of Trump was created by Florida-based artist Mark Lipp and gifted to him by GOP activist Andrew Pollack, whose daughter, Meadow Pollack, was one of the 17 victims of the 2018 Parkland school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, per The Independent.
Obama’s portrait has since been relocated to the Entrance Hall of the White House State Floor, where it now overlooks a Steinway grand piano once owned by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Online reactions to the Trump painting have been mixed. Supporters praised the artwork as “epic” and “iconic,” with one person writing: “This brings a tear to my eye. Some of the greatest art ever made by human hands.” Another remarked, “That image will always be part of American history.”
Critics, however, accused Trump of breaking tradition and using the space for self-promotion. Political strategist and Biden supporter Chris Jackson tweeted, “So Trump ditched tradition, broke protocol, and took down Barack Obama’s portrait—just to hang his own. Straight-up tin pot dictator energy.”
Others called the move “cringe” and “self-obsessed,” with one commenter saying, “I don’t think I’ve ever met someone so in love with himself.”
There may also be legal complications. The Independent reported potential copyright concerns, as the painting is based on a photograph taken by an Associated Press photographer. The AP has previously pursued legal action over unauthorized artistic reproductions, most notably in a high-profile case involving Shepard Fairey’s “Hope” poster of Obama.
Trump, who has long been known for his personal flair in decorating, has continued making visual changes throughout the White House—adding gold accents in the Oval Office and lining West Wing walls with New York Post front pages celebrating his political comeback.
READ MORE
- JD Vance dubbed a ‘hypocrite’ after college drag photos surface
- Trump shooter had photos of Kate Middleton on his phone, claims sensational report
