Source Wion
Washington, Dec. 18, 2025 — President Donald Trump has ignited a fresh political firestorm by installing a series of starkly partisan plaques beneath portraits of former U.S. presidents at the White House, sharply criticizing his Democratic predecessors and rewriting elements of recent presidential history.
The plaques, displayed along what the Trump administration calls the “Presidential Walk of Fame” in the White House colonnade, depart from longstanding tradition by blending historical assessment with overt political commentary. Instead of neutral descriptions of past administrations, the inscriptions deliver blunt judgments — including mocking language directed at President Joe Biden and Barack Obama.
Under Biden’s section, the plaque labels him “by far the worst President in American history” and accuses him of overseeing “unprecedented disasters” and winning “the most corrupt election ever seen in the United States.” Notably, Biden does not have an official portrait on the Walk of Fame; in its place, a photograph of an autopen — a mechanical device used to replicate signatures — was installed, underscoring Trump’s criticisms of Biden’s age and leadership.
Obama’s plaques are similarly provocative, describing the 44th president as “one of the most divisive political figures in American history.” They include critiques of signature policies such as the Affordable Care Act, the Iran nuclear deal, and the Paris climate accords, as well as an unfounded claim that Obama “spied on the 2016 Presidential Campaign of Donald J. Trump.”
The memorials go beyond Democratic figures. Plaques also take aim at other former presidents, including Republican George W. Bush, whose plaque blames him for starting the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq — a rare public rebuke of a fellow party member. Meanwhile, more favorable language is reserved for presidents seen as ideological allies, including Ronald Reagan.
Administration Response and Backlash
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the plaques, saying they represent “eloquently written descriptions of each President and the legacy they left behind.” She added that many of the texts were written by Trump himself, whom she described as a “student of history.”
Critics have condemned the plaques as a politicization of a historic building meant to honor national unity. Some lawmakers and commentators argue the displays transform the White House into what one detractor called a “personal score-settling wall,” deepening political divisions. Late-night hosts and cultural figures have also mocked the plaques, calling the effort unprecedented and inappropriate.
The unveiling of these plaques comes amid broader controversial renovations at the White House under Trump’s second term, including lavish interior redesigns and structural changes that have drawn criticism from preservationists and political adversaries alike.
As debates over presidential legacy and historical memory play out, the latest chapter in the ongoing political saga illustrates how symbol and space inside the nation’s most famous residence are increasingly being used as tools in America’s fractious political battles.
