Once a central feature of the White House’s Grand Foyer — greeting dignitaries, guests, and thousands of daily visitors — the official portrait of former President Barack Obama has been quietly exiled to a little-seen corner at the top of the Grand Staircase, far from public view.

According to two sources familiar with the matter, President Donald Trump personally directed staff to move the Obama portrait to the staircase landing outside the private residence — a space restricted to the first family, Secret Service, and select White House staff. Tourists, official guests, and most members of the press will never see it.

It’s not just Obama. Portraits of former Presidents George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush — two men with whom Trump also shares a long, tense history — have also been relocated to the same hidden location. The move strips them from one of the White House’s most prominent display areas, where recent presidential portraits have traditionally been featured as part of a bipartisan tradition of respect.

CNN obtained a photograph showing the Obama portrait hanging in its new location — a stark contrast from its former position of honor. “It’s firmly out of view for any visitor hoping to see it,” one source confirmed.

The repositioning marks the second time in months that the Obama portrait has been displaced. In April, it was moved from its original spot in the Grand Foyer and replaced with a large painting depicting Trump surviving an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania — a highly publicized moment his team has leaned on as a symbol of political resilience.

A Tradition Undone

In modern times, the White House has followed an unwritten protocol: the portraits of the most recent presidents are displayed prominently in the entrance, visible to guests during tours and official events. This display is part of a broader tradition dating back to the early 1960s, when First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy formalized the presidential portrait program with the help of the nonprofit White House Historical Association.

“It’s a statement of generosity,” said former White House curator Betty Monkman in a 2017 interview, recalling unveiling ceremonies where sitting presidents welcomed their predecessors. “It’s about continuity of the presidency.”

Under Trump, however, portrait placement has become another stage for political theater. During his first term, he removed portraits of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush from the Grand Foyer, replacing them with images of William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt.

Political Payback

The portrait removals come amid renewed tensions between Trump and Obama. In recent months, Trump has accused Obama and his former administration officials of committing “treason” during the 2016 election — a charge the former president’s office dismissed as “outrageous,” “bizarre,” and “a weak attempt at distraction.”

Following Trump’s remarks, Attorney General Pamela Bondi ordered prosecutors to open a grand jury investigation into allegations that Obama officials fabricated intelligence about Russian interference in the election. The move was widely criticized as politically motivated.

Relations with the Bush family have been strained for years. The late George H.W. Bush once called Trump a “blowhard” and admitted to voting for Hillary Clinton in 2016. George W. Bush, whom Trump has labeled a “failed and uninspiring” president, attended Trump’s 2025 inauguration but skipped the post-ceremony luncheon. First Lady Laura Bush also declined to participate in the celebratory event.

A President’s Personal Touch

Multiple sources say Trump is deeply involved in decisions about the White House’s aesthetic, from room decor to artwork placement. “Nearly everything that’s changed in the building, big or small, has his fingerprints on it,” one source noted.

A spokesperson for Obama’s office declined to comment on the portrait’s new location. The White House Historical Association and the Trump administration have not publicly addressed the move.

For now, the photorealistic Robert McCurdy portrait of Barack Obama — and the official likenesses of both Bush presidents — hang in relative obscurity, away from the cameras, crowds, and ceremonies that once framed them as symbols of America’s evolving political story.

Whether they will return to the Grand Foyer will depend on who occupies the White House next. As Monkman observed of the tradition: “It’s about respect for the office, regardless of politics.”

For Donald Trump, however, portrait placement appears to be about something else entirely — settling scores, one frame at a time.