President Donald Trump has directed that former President Barack Obama’s official White House portrait be moved to a location out of sight of visitors—specifically, below a staircase where it remains hidden from public view.
Obama’s portrait was relocated to the Grand Staircase area, alongside the portraits of former Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. This section of the White House is “heavily restricted to members of the first family, US Secret Service agents, and a limited number of White House and executive residence staff,” CNN reported.
A source familiar with the matter confirmed, “It is firmly out of view for any visitor hoping to see the photorealistic Robert McCurdy painting of the former president.”
This move breaks from traditional White House protocol, which usually places recent presidents’ portraits in prominent, publicly accessible locations.
Earlier this year, White House staffers swapped Obama’s portrait for a painting of Trump. At that time, Obama’s portrait was moved to the Grand Foyer, a space more visible to visitors.
Now, with the portrait placed below the staircase, it remains largely out of sight, hidden from the view of guests and visitors to the White House.
