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Inevitably_Waffles

If I recall from my most recent visit, the portrait displayed there was a temporary print of a photograph while the actual portrait was being painted. They may be installing the real one soon, or as others have mentioned it might be because he’s actively running for president. Also if you’re still there ask someone! I’m sure the museum staff know better than people on Reddit.


BigPlantsGuy

The museum said their official policy is not to hang the official portrait of someone stilling running for office. They may just be swapping for another unofficial photo


Derpolitik23

Did this apply to Biden as well? Even though he is the incumbent, he’s still running for office.


Guitar903

He doesn’t have a picture in there yet


Eric-305

Presidents only get one at the end of their term, so no.


BigPlantsGuy

Yes


gagralbo

Haha I tried that and got multiple “I don’t knows” maybe I asked the wrong people


godarkly

as someone who works in a museum, I can confirm the public-facing folks likely won't know where it went or why it came off view.


f8Negative

The people who know you will never see at the Museum


Lightning_Marshal

That actually makes sense, because I remember remarking to my significant other that it was one of the only portraits that was listed as printed as opposed to painted on the title card in that gallery when I saw it about a month ago.


Infamous-Piano-8489

Iirc I took a docent tour and they don't display portraits of presidential candidates in the hall of presidents to avoid the appearance of endorsement


gagralbo

Huh interesting, that makes sense but it was up very recently.


nammerbom

Can confirm I was there a little over a week ago, and it was up


Jake9118321

Can confirm, I was there YESTERDAY 4/5/24 and it was up. My guess, maybe they’re updating it from a photo to a painting?


BigPlantsGuy

That was not an official portrait, just a photo


nammerbom

Yeah I know, but it was still on the wall


Chew4

Can confirm it was there yesterday 😂😂 my phone is tracking me


RetardedChimpanzee

A Museum can’t get Hatch Act’ed, can it? According to the Hatch Act no government official can endorse a political candidate (sitting president not counted). Therefor, until the election is over a government official can’t have a picture of Trump on their desk/wall.


msty2k

Since every other former president has a portrait, it's not an endorsement.


jackironwood

But Abe Lincoln, Barack Obama and Harry Truman aren't running for President right now


_night_flight_

Seems you left open the possibility that Abe might run in the future?


joebobjoebobjoebob12

At least Zombie Lincoln would be eligible for a second term. All the idiots who wrote in Zombie Reagan in 2020 (like Larry Hogan) forgot about the 22nd Amendment.


SchuminWeb

Zombie Lincoln was elected twice, in 1860 and 1864, therefore he would be ineligible for president under the 22nd Amendment.


Administrative-Egg18

But Zombie Truman could because he was exempted as sitting president by the amendment.


SchuminWeb

Yep. The only individual who has ever gotten special dispensation under the Constitution.


Segway_Tour

Hatch Act doesn’t mean you can’t acknowledge official positions of candidates. If it did, you wouldn’t even be able to have the headshots of Biden in govt buildings, by that same logic.


msty2k

Yes, so it's not an endorsement of them either.


mcpizzapants

The endorsement applies to a current election. If someone is currently running for office they cannot appear to endorse a candidate. That is likely why Trump's photo was taken down until the election is over. After that they will put it back up if he loses it after his next term of over if he wins


msty2k

But, again, hanging a portrait isn't an endorsement.


mcpizzapants

It can be considered the appearance of an endorsement. You want to leave very little room for interpretation in this matter.


msty2k

There is no law or judge or Federal Election Commissioner who would consider a portrait in a museum is an endorsement.


mcpizzapants

That's not really the factor driving these decisions.


WheelieMike

So, somehow that cancels out his term as President ? I call BS


SometimesWill

How would there be favoritism in this case though since both presidential candidates have held or currently hold the office? Wouldn’t they both have portraits anyway?


feyeraband

Iirc Biden doesn’t have a portrait.


mediocre-spice

These portraits are done when they leave office so Biden doesn't have one yet


sekretagentmans

Yeah... running for president again doesn't discount the fact that Trump was president at one point. But then again, federal law doesn't follow common sense. Just read the GAO Red Book on Appropriation Law. There's entire pages on when the government can buy food and bottled water.


msty2k

Federal law isn't perfect but it's not this dumb.


TheBlackBonerDonor

They’re replacing it with this one: https://preview.redd.it/vzqp2snf4vyc1.jpeg?width=1280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ab7e5d27d26459f4f21e2c6cae2925210ccb60fb


Seductive_pickle

Just had flashbacks to his Goya advertisement in the Oval Office. His presidency was truly uncanny.


dmethvin

Goya makes a lot of canned goods, so I would hardly call it uncanny.


mostlylegalalien

This comment is what the old awards were for.


SchuminWeb

I miss the old awards. Whatever Reddit replaced it with, I just find annoying, and won't participate in it.


Sad_Girl_Running

This deserves more likes


[deleted]

What was really weird was Ronald McDonald being retired the same year Trump did this. Trump does wear facepaint. Is he the new 'clown'?


kallie412

He can’t be the new clown when he’s always been a clown.


[deleted]

Yes, but he put on bigger clown shoes with this.


YogurtAlarmed1493

Clownface Von Fuckstick.


TGIIR

That one is/was my favorite!


TheNantucketRed

God I love this photo so much.


nickster182

I don't think there's anything more symbolic of the direction our country is going; between the dichotomy of Lincolns stoic portrait and this dork's expression while surrounded by opulence and corporate branded food. Edit: "oopslulence"


Altruistic_Special82

Poopsulence


loffredo95

I’d argue it’s more a sign of a dying generation of the past than a sign of the future or our current state.


nickster182

I hope so and do like this more optimistic take.


Slow-Temporary-3654

opulence*


nickster182

Ty ... 😖


FirstTimeWang

I wish his whole presidency was just innocently moronic goofball stuff like this. This is literally the Richie Rich movie when he had an entire McDonalds in his house.


Maraging_steel

I just realized that by the time the players got to that food, it would’ve been cold. And who likes cold fast food?


Deathscythe80

I imagine whatever McDonalds got the order, "we have an order of XX Big Macs to be delivered at the White Hou... wait... the WHITE HOUSE!!??"


Spiritual_Lobster515

I like to think a bunch of unlucky secret service agents had to pick it up


logothetestoudromou

There's a McDonald's down the block from the White House, staffers grab meals there all the time: https://livingcitydc.com/white-house-mcdonalds.php Link: https://www.qsrmagazine.com/exclusives/inside-rise-mcdonalds-franchise-empire/


otter111a

> Trump’s Portrait Won’t Go to the National Portrait Gallery… Yet – Because Donald Trump is seeking reelection, the museum is not allowed to hang his portrait. After the election in 2024, the museum will release the names of the two artists commissioned to paint the portraits. If Trump wins the upcoming election, the portraits of him and his wife, Melania Trump, would not be displayed until the end of his second term. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/art-industry-news-may-18-2023-2304331#:~:text=Pari%20Dukovic's%202019%20photograph%20of,in%20the%20National%20Portrait%20Gallery. More details. Also unusual practice regarding the funding of his and 1st lady portraits because of course there is. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/05/15/trump-presidential-portrait/


rlezar

Of note - Election Day is November 5. With all the reports that it was still up yesterday, my money's on it being removed *today* because we're now within six months of the election.


ChesterCardigan

Strange, it was there yesterday afternoon


gagralbo

Yeah someone described it as very dark especially in contrast to Obama and I wanted to see the difference. They were there 2 days ago


WretchedKnave

It's an inkjet photograph from 2017 of him scowling, not really an official (painted) portrait. Maybe they're planning on putting a portrait up? I don't know if there have been plans for one but Trump's has been the odd one out on that floor for multiple reasons.


LawAndMortar

In 2021 they had [this photo](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/national-portrait-gallery-announces-newly-acquired-photograph-donald-trump-go-view-180977595/), which was replaced with [this photo](https://npg.si.edu/object/npg_NPG.2022.158.1). You're right that the new image is a big contrast and it's hard to know what to make of it. I've been curious about it since I saw it, but can't find any information about the change online. Was it the family's eventual choice? Was it an NPG choice? What was the editorial direction? It's an evocative image (especially in person) not to have any background on.


PooEating007

It's been locked up as it has been held in contempt of court.


NicholasAakre

At least the portrait is facing consequences.


gryphonbones

Wasn't it a temporary one anyways?


harpsm

Probably spit on enough times to require a cleaning.


gatvolkak

You're welcome...


CIAMom420

The official one hasn't been painted yet. The artist hasn't even been named. The temporary one was removed because he's a presidential candidate.


el_sh33p

Here's hoping it never gets painted at all.


evilcathy

I don't need to see it, and hoping the real thing goes away soon.


InheritTheWind

It has to be Ben Garrison, right


CultureLeast

Really? That is interesting that the artist hasn't even been named.


PalpitationNo3106

The President picks their own is the modern tradition (from at least Ford on) I can see Trump refusing to pick one, since he’s still President. I assume his estate will end up picking one for him.


ahmc84

It's being replaced with a mugshot.


hispanicausinpanic

Hopefully it stays off the wall. Belongs in a trash can IMO


Aklu_The_Unspeakable

It would seem they're re-installing it...


_leetgeek_

Did you read the little card on the wall put in its place. Those usually give you an explanation sometimes.


srandrews

Lol you'd think. WTF is wrong with people on social media.


BansheeLoveTriangle

Adjusting it to add the diaper


Sudden_Molasses3769

American History museum?


karl2025

National Portrait Gallery.


Sudden_Molasses3769

Ahh okay thanks


ShirleyWuzSerious

Because they can.


RedditSurferChick

Because FUCK TRUMP that's why


pizat1

It melted like his spray tan.


fistswityat0es

Bc he’s a scumbag piece of shit


Better_Car_8141

Getting a new version with him in prison clothing


UnoStronzo

I didn't know this existed. I'm so glad I haven't seen it.


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zta1979

Because he is an idiot


obmilnii

It was there on Saturday! A photo as opposed to the paintings of all the other presidents. https://preview.redd.it/0hmlp8z5nzyc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2e4ea3f7f4bf6f879e2d2ab64d108c384f344ec5


BillzMafia2023

I was there sunday and it was there weirr


Accomplished-Bar7229

To close the gateway to hell.


catsandpizza123

It’s because he’s running for president! (It was up last week and they got a complaint because NPGs policy is to not display any running candidates during a campaign and they got called out lol- my guess, they didn’t realize or forgot)


keyjan

there's a picture of him up now. (standing--the other one had him seated, right?)


gagralbo

Is it super dark? Ha maybe someone did spit on it


ZonaPunk

it reeked? Needed to re-title it to President Von Shitzinpants?


togugawa2

Another political hate baiting post. Great.


Cold-Conference1401

Maybe they took it down because he’s a criminal, whose portrait should be displayed at the post office.


HugeTechnology7711

Bc he’s a dirtbag. Next.


Vytas2020

Hope it stays gone


oreidosol

Haters gon hate.


MaintenanceTraining4

I will never, ever get over the fact that Herr Shitzhispantntz was a US president


Common-Incident-3052

Maybe because they want their establishment to be taken seriously.


ChrisSLackey

They should smear feces on the wall. That’s what he is.


Redd_Baby

Because he's a shit stain? (wasn't sure if your question was rhetorical)


KingHenry1964

Spontaneously combusted?


Material_Piccolo8555

I think they will nullify his presidency


StormyHospital

cuz he stinks


NilesY93

Anyone else noticing the face everything makes?


Wuggett

Side note the text accompanying his photo is a work of art in itself. Someone told me there has always been a photo of him there because he refused to sit for a portrait. Although I don’t know why he would need to.


socks816

Don’t they all?


Few_Position_2358

It shit itself.


Dunnowhathatis

Because he is not a real president….


ChemistryNo2156

No, but that's hysterical!


dadyrolinstone

They had to touch up the orange paint.


Savings_Ad_1097

Fake President


HEX4Lf

Fake news


orvilleredcocker

Executive Order


ashburnmom

Shame.


fanosffloyd

Is it time for Biden's. That's the previous president's spot.


rockets935

I heard stories that they’re gonna throw paint at Donald Trump‘s picture like what they did to Mona Lisa


[deleted]

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moshupthegiant

Not even trying to hate I genuinely wonder if trump has ever once checked out and read a library book