President Donald Trump unveiled a new Presidential Walk of Fame along the West Wing Colonnade on Wednesday, September 24, featuring portraits of all former presidents in gilded frames with one notable exception. In place of former President Joe Biden’s official portrait, the display shows a photograph of an autopen machine signing Biden’s signature.
The White House released several photos and social media posts showcasing the completed installation, which displays presidential portraits in chronological order along the walkway between the White House residence and the West Wing. The gallery includes two images of Trump reflecting his service as both the 45th and 47th president, as well as two portraits of former President Grover Cleveland, who served as the 22nd and 24th president.
The substitution fulfills a promise Trump made during an interview with The Daily Caller earlier this month, when he indicated he would display a photo of the autopen device instead of Biden’s portrait. The move represents Trump’s continued criticism of Biden’s use of the automatic signing machine, which he has characterized as evidence of the former president’s alleged mental decline and lack of awareness regarding official decisions.
Trump has repeatedly claimed without evidence that Biden administration officials may have used the autopen to make broad policy decisions without Biden’s knowledge or authorization. He has suggested that thousands of pardons signed with the device should be considered invalid, describing the situation as a tremendous scandal. The president has particularly focused on Biden’s use of the autopen for signing clemency decisions and executive orders during the final days of his term.
Biden and his former aides have firmly rejected these allegations. In a recent interview with The New York Times, Biden defended his use of the autopen and stated he was involved in every decision regarding documents such as clemency grants and pardons issued at the end of his presidency. Biden emphasized that any suggestion he was not making presidential decisions during his term was ridiculous and false.
The autopen is a mechanical device that physically holds a pen and follows programming to reproduce a person’s signature accurately. According to a longstanding opinion from the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel, using an autopen to sign presidential documents is legally binding provided the president has authorized the signature. The device has been routinely used by presidents from both political parties and is commonplace throughout Capitol Hill and government agencies.
House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer announced in May that he opened an investigation into Biden’s autopen usage. The Republican-led committee is examining the extent and circumstances surrounding the former administration’s reliance on the automatic signing device. Trump has called for a comprehensive investigation into what he describes as potential illegal use of the autopen by Biden’s staff.
The Presidential Walk of Fame installation is part of broader aesthetic changes Trump has implemented at the White House since resuming office. He has added gold flourishes to the Oval Office walls, installed massive new flagpoles on both lawns, and replaced grass in the Rose Garden with patio stone and tables with umbrellas for hosting dinners at what he calls the Rose Garden Club.
Construction is currently underway for an expansive new ballroom that Trump has promoted as a significant addition to the White House facilities. According to reports, Trump personally selected each photograph displayed in the presidential gallery.
This is not the first time Trump has used his presidential authority to alter or remove symbols associated with political opponents from White House displays. In June, the Trump administration removed a portrait of Hillary Clinton, the former first lady and secretary of state who challenged Trump in the 2016 election, replacing it with a red, white and blue painting of Trump.
In August, Trump relocated portraits of former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush from the White House entryway to less prominent positions within the building. The moves followed previous criticism from the Obama and Bush families regarding Trump’s presidency, including the late George H.W. Bush’s acknowledgment in a book that he voted for Clinton in 2016.
The colonnade has served as an iconic architectural feature of the White House since its construction during Thomas Jefferson’s presidency. The open-air walkway provides a direct route for presidents and staff members traveling between the West Wing and the Executive Residence. The new presidential portrait display is positioned adjacent to the renovated Rose Garden area where Trump has been hosting official dinners and events.
White House officials promoted the completed Presidential Walk of Fame through multiple social media posts on Wednesday afternoon, drawing attention to the autopen substitution with eye emoji captions. Trump stated, “We’ll put up a picture of the autopen.” A spokesperson for former President Biden has not responded to requests for comment regarding the portrait display.
