White House Sparks Controversy with New Painting Depicting Trump’s Survival of Assassination Attempt
In a quiet but bold move, the White House has made a dramatic change to its Grand Foyer, replacing the official portrait of former President Barack Obama with a striking new painting of former President Donald Trump. The artwork, unveiled on the White House’s official social media, captures a tense and symbolic moment following Trump’s brush with death during an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania last summer.
The painting, which shows Trump with a bloodied face and his fist raised defiantly, immediately stirred a firestorm of public reaction. While supporters hailed the image as iconic, critics were quick to voice their concerns. Some even questioned the decision, with one commenter asking, “Is this a joke?” and another likening the scene to “super North Korea vibes.”
Although Obama’s portrait was moved to a new location across the Grand Foyer, it was not removed entirely. The former president’s painting now hangs where George W. Bush’s once did, while Bush’s portrait was shifted next to his father’s near the staircase.
The decision to feature such a violent and controversial moment from Trump’s life didn’t sit well with many. The painting portrays the aftermath of the July 2024 shooting, when Trump was shot at a rally. The bullet grazed his right ear, and while Trump was rushed offstage, the incident left a lasting impact on the nation. The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was killed during the exchange of gunfire, and others were injured before Trump was escorted to safety by Secret Service agents.
On Truth Social, Trump described the harrowing moment, recalling how he felt the bullet tear through his ear and the “much bleeding” that followed. Video footage from the rally shows Trump pausing as gunfire erupted, reaching for his ear before raising his fist defiantly, an image that has now become the centerpiece of the White House’s new painting.
The FBI has since confirmed that Crooks acted alone, although the investigation is ongoing. Authorities are still examining evidence and have conducted nearly 100 interviews to uncover a motive. Despite their findings, they continue to seek digital evidence from the public.
In a recent interview aboard Air Force One, Trump reflected on the assassination attempt and compared it to the historical tragedy of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. When asked if he believed Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, Trump answered, “I do. And I always felt that, but, of course, was he helped?” He also noted that while the newly released JFK assassination files weren’t as revealing as some hoped, they might still provide valuable insights in the future.
The FBI has been diligent in its investigation of the Pennsylvania shooting, following leads and looking into potential digital ties to the shooter, as well as an unreported incident in Florida. Trump expressed confidence in the agency’s transparency, though he acknowledged that some answers may never be fully clear.
Meanwhile, the National Archives has released thousands of documents related to the JFK assassination, though experts caution that understanding their full implications could take years.
The unveiling of this new painting at the White House has sparked a deeper debate about how the history of modern presidents is portrayed—and who gets to control that narrative. With the placement of Obama’s portrait being altered in favor of Trump’s post-assassination image, the conversation over how presidential legacies are memorialized is more heated than ever.