WASHINGTON (FN) — Visitors to the White House this week were startled to find a series of plaques hung along the Colonnade, each bearing mocking inscriptions aimed at former presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
The plaques, installed without official announcement, included sharp insults and unfounded claims. One read “Sleepy Joe Napped Here,” while another declared “Obama: Weak Leadership, Strong Teleprompter.” The inscriptions echoed language Trump has used at rallies and online.
Traditionally, the Colonnade has been reserved for solemn displays — portraits, memorial wreaths, or ceremonial decorations. Historians said the decision to turn it into a corridor of ridicule marked a dramatic break from presidential decorum.
White House staff confirmed the plaques were placed at Trump’s direction, though they declined to say whether they would remain permanently. “The president wanted to make a statement,” one aide said.
Critics blasted the move as unprecedented and disrespectful. “The White House is a symbol of unity, not a billboard for partisan attacks,” said one historian. Supporters, however, defended the plaques as humorous and in keeping with Trump’s combative style.
Tourists flocked to the Colonnade to see the plaques, snapping photos and sharing them online. Some laughed at the spectacle, while others expressed dismay that the nation’s seat of power had become a stage for ridicule.
Foreign media outlets seized on the controversy, portraying the plaques as symbolic of America’s deep political polarization. Commentators in Europe and Asia described the display as “political theater” and “a rewriting of history in bronze.”
Analysts noted that other presidents have used the Colonnade to honor predecessors. Ronald Reagan praised Jimmy Carter’s diplomacy, while Barack Obama paid tribute to George W. Bush’s work on AIDS relief. Trump’s plaques, they said, turned tradition upside down.
The inscriptions have no basis in fact, according to experts, who noted that several claims contradict official records. “It’s political theater, not history,” said a professor of presidential studies.
Whether the plaques remain or are removed may depend on public reaction. For now, they stand as a symbol of Trump’s willingness to rewrite the norms of presidential decorum — one plaque at a time.
