A top White House staffer appears to have posted the latest bonkers addition to President Donald Trump’s ever-growing Oval Office shrine to himself.
Principal Deputy Press Secretary Harrison Fields posted a photo of a gold-framed painting on Thursday that depicts Trump flanked by historic Republican icons, including former Presidents William McKinley, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and unsuccessfully Henry Clay.
Fields commented, “A new addition to the West Wing,” and shared the title of painting, “The Tariff Men.”
The painting appears to be in reference to each of the leaders’ relationship with tariffs on the heels of Trump’s claims that his tariff policy is enriching the United States.
Clay was heralded for a rousing speech in favor of protective tariffs in 1824 to ensure ‘Home Market’ growth, Coalition for a Prosperous America reported. The tariffs imposed high taxes on imported goods to make American-made products more competitive.
However, years before, Jefferson warned that tariffs would harm the prosperity of a young America, NPR reported of the third president’s policy history. He sought to reduce previous protective tariffs favored by previous presidents. Lincoln, America’s 16th president, also spoke in favor of the tariffs during his term 1861 to 1865.
America’s 25th president McKinley, who Trump has lauded as his hero, introduced a wide range of protective tariffs with the Dingley Tariff Act in 1897, The Guardian reported.
Historical liberties aside, Trump’s MAGA fanbase appeared to eat up the veiled comparisons of him and the other presidents.
“The American System is back,” celebrated a commentator on X under Fields’ post.
“God Bless America! 🇺🇸 ❤️🇺🇸” added another commentator.
However, not all the commentators under Fields’ post were impressed.
“He’s really turned the Whitehouse into a trailer park. Next, he’ll be hanging up velvet prints from a flea market,” added another commentator under the post.
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House to request further details on the meaning and location of painting.
