US President Donald Trump has installed bronze plaques underneath portraits of former presidents at the White House, using them to mock and make disputed claims about some of his predecessors, targeting the most recent ones including Joe
Biden and Barack Obama.
According to ABC News, the plaques, many of which the White House said were penned by Trump himself, form part of what the president has dubbed the “Presidential Walk of Fame”, a portrait gallery along the West Wing Colonnade. Rather than offering neutral historical summaries, the permanent signs provide lengthy, what appears to be editorialized descriptions of each presidency, written in a style that is a lot similar to that of the President’s social media posts, with sporadic capitalizations, punctuation, and exclamation points.
According to White House staff, the plaques reflect Trump’s ongoing effort to customize the White House to his liking, setting his well-known opinions of former presidents in stone. Some inscriptions are particularly pointed: the plaque for Biden labels him “the worst President in American History,” while Obama is described as “one of the most divisive political figures.” Even former allies receive Trump’s stamp — Ronald Reagan’s plaque notes he “was a fan” of Trump long before his presidential run.
The new plaques are the latest addition to a series of controversial changes made under Trump, underscoring how the administration is using the White House not just as a seat of power, but as a platform for political messaging and personal commentary.
Biden plaque calls him ‘ by far, the worst President in American History’The most scathing language is reserved for Trump’s immediate predecessor. Instead of Biden’s official portrait, the display shows his signature produced by an autopen a reference to Republican claims that aides frequently used the device on his behalf, The Independent reported.
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The plaque beneath it states: “Sleepy Joe Biden was, by far, the worst President in American History,” and alleges he assumed office “as a result of the most corrupt Election ever seen in the United States.” It further claims Biden presided over “unprecedented disasters that brought our Nation to the brink of destruction,” according to ABC News.
Trump’s inscription attacks Biden’s handling of the economy, climate policy, immigration and foreign affairs, including the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, which it calls “among the most humiliating events in American History.” It also asserts — without evidence — that Biden’s “weakness” led to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and that “Hamas terrorists launched the heinous October 7th attack on Israel” during his presidency, ABC News reported. The plaque additionally references what Trump describes as Biden’s “severe mental decline” and “unprecedented use of the Autopen.”
Obama's plaque labels him as ‘divisive’, accusing him of spyingUnder Obama’s portrait, Trump wrote that “Barack Hussein Obama was the first Black President, a community organizer, one term Senator from Illinois, and one of the most divisive political figures in American History,” according to The Independent.
The inscription goes on to repeat long-disputed allegations, claiming Obama “spied on the 2016 Presidential Campaign of Donald J. Trump” and “presided over the creation of the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, the worst political scandal in American History".
The Obama plaque also mentions Hillary Clinton, describing her as Obama’s “handpicked successor” and noting that she “would then lose the Presidency to Donald J. Trump,” ABC News reported.
Hillary Clinton referenced across plaquesHillary Clinton is mentioned multiple times across the gallery. Under the portrait of Bill Clinton, the plaque notes that “President Clinton’s wife, Hillary, lost the Presidency to President Donald J. Trump,” according to The Independent. Bill Clinton’s legislative achievements are also attributed largely to “Republicans in Congress,” while Trump’s administration claims credit for terminating the North American Free Trade Agreement signed during Clinton’s tenure, the report said.
Praise for allies, harsher tone for criticsThe tone of the plaques varies sharply depending on alignment with Trump’s views, The Independent reported. Former President Ronald Reagan receives glowing praise as “The Great Communicator,” with the plaque asserting that Reagan “was a fan of President Donald J. Trump long before President Trump’s Historic run for the White House.”
Former President Richard Nixon is credited with “one of the greatest political comebacks in American History,” while Gerald Ford is commended for issuing a “brave Pardon to Richard Nixon".
In contrast, the plaque for George W. Bush highlights the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq — stating they “should not have happened” — and notes the global financial crisis at the end of his administration, according to The Independent. His father, George H. W. Bush, is described more positively, focusing largely on accomplishments.
Other inscriptions strike a mixed tone. John F. Kennedy’s plaque mentions the “failed Bay of Pigs Invasion,” while Lyndon B. Johnson is linked to unrest over the Vietnam War. Jimmy Carter’s presidency is described largely through crises such as inflation and the Iran hostage situation, though it concludes by acknowledging that Carter did “wonderful things for Humanity” after leaving office, The Independent reported.
White House: Trump wrote many plaques himselfWhite House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the project, saying the plaques were intended as historical reflections.
“The plaques are eloquently written descriptions of each President and the legacy they left behind. As a student of history, many were written directly by the President himself,” she said, as quoted by ABC News.
Trump had earlier teased the plaques during a November interview, saying each would outline what a president “did during his tenure”.