President Donald Trump has installed a bronze plaque beneath a presidential portrait in the White House, mocking his predecessor with personal attacks and false claims.
The move capped an unprecedented week of stinginess for the commander-in-chief.
White House press secretary Carolyn Leavitt said most of the plaques were written by Trump himself. The permanent signs read just like his social media posts, with random capital letters and a plethora of exclamation points.
A plaque beneath Joe Biden’s portrait calls him “by far the worst president in American history” and claims his inauguration was “the result of the most corrupt election America has ever seen.”
Trump also attacked Biden for his “severe mental decline” and mocked his signature using the presidential automatic pen. Barack Obama’s plaque describes him as “one of the most divisive political figures in American history” and falsely claims that he “spyed on Donald J. Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.”
The plaque also referenced the “Russia, Russia, Russia hoax” that Trump called “the worst political scandal in American history.”
Hillary Clinton is mentioned twice on separate plaques. Under Obama’s portrait, Trump noted that she was his “handpicked successor” who “will then relinquish the presidency to Donald J. Trump.”
Bill Clinton’s plaque also mentions that “President Clinton’s wife, Hillary, relinquished the presidency to President Donald J. Trump.”
This latest act of pettiness comes after Trump faced bipartisan criticism for his comments about the death of Rob Reiner. After the director and his wife were found murdered in their Beverly Hills home, Trump said Lehner was “very bad for our country” and suggested his death was linked to “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
Republican lawmakers called Trump’s comments “disgusting” and “inappropriate.” Republican Rep. Thomas Massie said the comments were “disrespectful remarks toward a man who had just been brutally murdered.”
Even conservative allies distanced themselves from Trump’s response. President Trump emphasized Lehner’s comments during a press conference.
“I’m not a fan of Rob Reiner at all, in any way, shape or form,” he said in defense of his original statement.
The insulting plaques are part of Trump’s broader White House renovation, which includes paving the Rose Garden and demolishing the East Wing to make way for a $300 million ballroom.
He also covered the entire Oval Office with gold leaf and installed statues around the Rose Garden. Preservationists have filed multiple lawsuits to block Trump’s renovations. The National Trust for Historic Preservation argued the changes violated federal preservation laws.
The plaques now permanently display Trump’s grievances on the West Wing colonnade, where visitors and dignitaries stroll daily.
