The White House unveiled a new official presidential portrait of President Donald Trump on Monday, capturing him in a blue suit, red tie, and American flag pin, standing against a neutral backdrop with a serious, assertive expression, signaling a shift in the administration’s approach to presidential imagery.
The new portrait of Trump, alongside one of Vice President JD Vance, hangs in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next to the White House.
Social media users quickly responded to the new portrait, praising its tone and symbolism.
“Trump’s new presidential portrait looks like he means business,” one user posted on X.
Longtime Trump ally Roger Stone called it “the new presidential portrait of one of the most consequential presidents in world history.”
The portrait’s release comes amid a broader visual overhaul at the White House. In April, a new painting by Marc Lipp was added to the presidential collection, depicting Trump raising his fist moments after surviving a 2024 assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania campaign rally. The dramatic scene —based on a Pulitzer-nominated photo — shows a bloodied Trump rising from behind a shield of Secret Service agents, framed by a fluttering American flag.
Another recently added piece, titled “Free America. Trump” by artist Maya Langelo, features Trump’s headshot superimposed over a stylized U.S. flag on a black background. It now hangs on the White House ground floor between the portraits of former first ladies Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton.
Just days before the portrait’s unveiling, Trump fired Kim Sajet, director of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery, accusing her of promoting divisive ideology.
“Kim Sajet is a highly partisan person and a strong supporter of DEI, which is totally inappropriate for her position,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
The dismissal continues the president’s push to overhaul federally funded arts institutions. Earlier this year, Trump signed an executive order targeting what he called “race-centered ideology” in Smithsonian programs and removed the leadership of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, later appointing himself as chairman.
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In January, a newly released official portrait of first lady Melania Trump was taken by Belgian photographer Regine Mahaux. The black-and-white image shows the first lady leaning forward over a reflective surface in a commanding pose, dressed in a tailored Dolce & Gabbana tuxedo jacket, a contrast from her soft and gentle 2017 portrait.
Together, the new portraits and symbolic artworks suggest a deliberate effort by the Trump administration to reshape the visual narrative of projecting power and resilience during its time in office.
The Washington Examiner reached out to the White House for comment.
