Politics in D.C. has always been a bit like high school with higher stakes, but what happened on the West Wing Colonnade recently took things to a whole new level of "did he really just do that?" If you’ve been following the news lately, you probably saw the headlines about the new "Presidential Walk of Fame." It's basically a gallery of every U.S. commander-in-chief, all lined up in gold frames. But when you get to the 46th president, things get weird. Instead of the usual smiling face of Joe Biden, there’s just a picture of a machine.
Yeah, a machine.
Specifically, Trump replaces Biden portrait with autopen photo in this new installation, and honestly, it’s about as subtle as a sledgehammer. For those who aren't familiar with the term, an autopen is a mechanical device used to replicate a person's signature. Presidents have used them for decades to sign routine paperwork without getting carpal tunnel. But in the world of Donald Trump, that machine has become a symbol of something much more controversial.
The Walk of Fame and the Missing Portrait
The whole thing started around September 2025. Trump decided the walkway between the West Wing and the Executive Residence needed a makeover. He apparently got the idea from a "Wall of Fame" he saw at a Hilton hotel once. He wanted every president represented in black and white photos, housed in matching gilded frames.
It sounds like a standard historical tribute, right? Well, not exactly.
Walking down the colonnade, you see Washington, Lincoln, FDR, and the rest. Then you reach the spot where Joe Biden should be. Instead of a portrait, visitors are greeted by a high-resolution photo of an autopen signing Biden's name. It’s a deliberate, calculated snub that breaks almost every rule of presidential decorum we’ve seen in the modern era.
But why go to all that trouble? Why not just leave the space empty or put up a low-quality photo? To understand the move, you have to look at the narrative Trump has been pushing for years. He isn't just mad at Biden; he's trying to rewrite the history of the 46th presidency.
The Autopen Obsession Explained
Basically, Trump’s beef with the autopen isn't about the technology itself. It’s about what he claims the technology represents. During his campaign and into his second term, Trump has repeatedly alleged—without providing concrete evidence—that Biden wasn't the one actually making decisions.
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He’s claimed that:
- Aides were the ones "running the show" while Biden was allegedly in cognitive decline.
- Thousands of pardons and executive orders signed via autopen are actually "void" or "illegal."
- The autopen was a tool used to "forge" the presidency itself.
By putting that photo in the gallery, Trump is making a permanent, physical joke. He’s telling every world leader and diplomat who walks through that hallway that he views the Biden administration as a mechanical, faceless era controlled by shadowy staffers.
The Fox News reports and Truth Social posts from early 2025 were filled with this rhetoric. Trump even posted side-by-side images of his own portraits and the autopen, captioning them with claims that "Whoever controlled the Autopen controlled the Presidency!"
Breaking Tradition or Telling "Truth"?
Usually, when a new president takes over, there’s a quiet respect for the office's history. Even when predecessors hate each other, their portraits usually hang in the Cross Hall or the Grand Foyer. But Trump has never been a "usually" kind of guy.
Critics, including the National Trust for Historic Preservation, are pretty horrified. They see this as a "politicization of the historic fabric of the White House." They aren't just worried about the Biden snub; they’re looking at the whole package. In December 2025, Trump added bronze plaques under each portrait. Most were written or dictated by him personally.
While the plaques for most presidents are standard, the one under the autopen photo is reportedly scathing. It describes Biden as the "worst President in American History" and repeats debunked claims about the 2020 election being "corrupt." It’s a far cry from the neutral biographical blurbs you’d find in a museum.
Actually, the National Portrait Gallery at the Smithsonian has seen similar "adjustments." Recently, references to Trump's two impeachments were removed from his display there. It’s all part of a larger effort by the administration to "restore confidence" by removing what they call "divisive narratives."
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What Most People Get Wrong About the Autopen
Here’s the thing: Joe Biden didn't invent the autopen.
Thomas Jefferson actually used a primitive version called a polygraph. In the modern era, every president from Eisenhower to Trump himself has used one. It’s literally impossible for a president to hand-sign the thousands of pages of routine documents that cross their desk every week.
- Reagan used it.
- Obama used it.
- Trump used it during his first term.
The controversy isn't about the use of the device; it's about the extent of its use. A report from a conservative group within the Heritage Foundation claimed that a vast majority of Biden’s documents used the exact same mechanical signature. They used this to suggest he wasn't even in the room for major decisions. Democrats, of course, called this a total reach, noting that using a consistent autopen signature is just... how the machines work.
The Physical Remaking of the White House
The portrait swap isn't the only change. If you were to walk through the grounds today, you'd see a very different place than it was two years ago.
Trump has been busy:
- He replaced the grass in the Rose Garden with patio stone (much to the chagrin of gardening enthusiasts).
- He added massive new flagpoles to both the North and South lawns.
- He’s even started construction on a brand-new, massive ballroom because he felt the East Wing was too small for state dinners.
- Gold flourishes have been added to the Oval Office walls to give it more of that signature "Trump" look.
The "Presidential Walk of Fame" is just the most visible part of this branding exercise. It’s about ownership. By choosing to replace Biden portrait with autopen photo, Trump is essentially marking his territory and signaling to his base that the "interruption" of his leadership from 2021 to 2025 didn't count as a "real" presidency.
Why This Actually Matters
You might think, "It’s just a picture, who cares?" But in the world of international diplomacy, symbols are everything.
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When a foreign prime minister or a king walks past that autopen photo, they see a divided America. They see an administration that is willing to use the very walls of the White House as a campaign billboard. It signals a shift away from the idea of the "Office of the President" as a continuous, respected institution and toward a model where each new occupant can erase the one who came before.
It also sets a weird precedent. What happens if the next president decides to replace Trump’s portrait with a photo of a Twitter (X) logo or a courtroom gavel? Once you break the tradition of the official portrait, it's hard to go back.
Actionable Insights and What to Watch For
If you’re trying to keep track of how this affects the political landscape, here are a few things to keep an eye on:
- The Legal Challenges: Watch for any lawsuits regarding the "validity" of autopen-signed documents. Trump has signaled he wants to void certain Biden-era actions based on this "signature" theory. Legal experts say it’s a long shot, but it could create a mess in the lower courts.
- The Smithsonian Factor: Keep an eye on the National Portrait Gallery. As the administration continues to "review" exhibits ahead of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in July 2026, we might see more "partisan narratives" being scrubbed from public museums.
- The "Official" Painting: Traditionally, the White House Historical Association commissions a painted portrait of the former president and first lady. It will be interesting to see if they are even allowed to hold an unveiling ceremony for Biden’s painted portrait while Trump is still in office.
The autopen photo might be a joke to some and an insult to others, but it’s definitely a sign of the times. It’s a reminder that in 2026, even the walls of the White House have become a frontline in the culture war.
For now, if you take a tour of the West Colonnade, don't expect to see Joe Biden's face. You'll just see a shiny piece of machinery, a gold frame, and a plaque that tells a very specific, very lopsided version of American history.
Next Steps for Staying Informed:
To understand the full scope of these changes, you should look into the "Presidential Walk of Fame" plaques' specific text for other presidents like Obama and Clinton, as they offer further context on how the current administration is re-framing the 21st century. You can also monitor the official White House social media channels, where they frequently post video tours of these new renovations.