A claim that a picture shows the official White House portrait of former US president Barack Obama, which current President Donald Trump refuses to hang or have an official unveiling for, is not wholly accurate.
Posts which have been shared on social media platforms including Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Threads feature a picture of the 44th President of the United States in a suit, with text saying: “This is the official White House portrait of President Obama that Trump refuses to hang and have an official unveiling for. It is the first time in history that a sitting president has been so petty. Trump may not hang it but we can share it and flood the internet with it!”
Some posts feature additional text saying: “Trump refuses to hang Obama's portrait in the White House.”
But this is not entirely correct.
The image featured in the posts is not of Mr Obama’s official White House portrait, but instead a photograph of him that was taken by photographer Dan Winters in August 2016.
Mr Obama’s official White House portrait was completed by artist Robert McCurdy in 2018, and depicts Mr Obama in a photorealistic-style standing against a white background.
It is true that the portrait completed by Mr McCurdy was not unveiled by President Trump during his first term in the Oval Office, as has become tradition since 39th President Jimmy Carter and then-First Lady Rosalynn Carter unveiled the White House portraits of former President Gerald R. Ford and former First Lady Betty Ford in 1978 (though Mr Carter declined to have a ceremony for the unveiling of his own portrait).
However, it was reported at the time that the decision not to hold an unveiling ceremony for Mr Obama’s portrait was not solely due to President Trump, with NBC News reporting that Mr Obama had “no interest in participating in the post-presidency rite of passage so long as Trump is in office”.
The painting, along with a painting of former First Lady Michelle Obama, was unveiled in a ceremony hosted by then-President Joe Biden in September 2022.
We found that it was pictured hanging in the Grand Foyer of the White House in photos taken in December 2024—before President Trump was inaugurated.
Recent news reports, as well as a post from the White House principal deputy press secretary, confirmed that the painting continues to hang in the White House entrance hall, although it has been moved.
Portraits can be moved around the White House—with different paintings currently hanging in the Oval Office compared to during Mr Biden’s presidency.
We have previously fact checked a number of other misleading posts about Mr Obama and President Trump, including claims that Mr Obama has received millions in royalties from Obamacare since 2010, and that President Trump has changed divorce law to stop 50% distribution of property.
Before sharing posts like these on social media, it’s important to consider whether it comes from a trusted and verifiable source. Our Full Fact toolkit can help you do this.
We have contacted the White House about this claim and will update this article if we receive a response.