BREAK FROM TRADITION

Trump Won’t Be Unveiling Obama White House Portrait, Says Report

Normally, a first-term president would host his immediate predecessor in the East Room for the first public showing of the portrait.

For decades, it’s been a gesture of the peaceful transition of power from president to president, regardless of party politics. But, according to a report from NBC News, President Trump will not be unveiling his predecessor Barack Obama’s official White House portrait. For 40 years, a first-term president has hosted his immediate predecessor in the East Room for the first public showing of the portrait of the former president. NBC reports that Obama has “no interest” in taking part in the tradition as long as Trump occupies the White House, and Trump is happy not to be seen in public with a predecessor that he has relentlessly attacked. Both Katie Hill, a spokesperson for Obama, and the White House declined to comment on NBC’s report.