White House Plaques Stir Controversy

The White House has added new plaques under photos of former presidents, taking a critical stance on Trump's Democratic predecessors. This move is unusual because the White House is usually seen as a symbol of unity. Trump, however, has used it to express his political views and rewrite history. The plaque under Joe Biden's photo calls him "Sleepy Joe" and claims he won the "most corrupt election ever. " This is not true. Biden's photo is also different. Instead of a portrait, there's a picture of an autopen, a device that copies signatures. Another plaque talks about Barack Obama, the first Black U. S. president. It describes him as one of the most divisive political figures in American history. Many historians, however, see Trump as the most polarizing president.The plaque under Bill Clinton's photo mentions his wife, Hillary Clinton, losing the presidency to Trump in 2016. This "Presidential Walk of Fame" is a new addition during Trump's second term. It features portraits of past presidents along the corridors between the Oval Office and the South Lawn. Even George W. Bush, a fellow Republican but not a Trump supporter, is criticized. His plaque says he started wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, which "should not have happened. " The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, defended the plaques, saying they describe each president's legacy. Many of these descriptions were written by Trump himself. These changes are part of broader changes to the White House decor under Trump. There's more gold and gilded fixtures, similar to Trump Tower in New York and his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.