The president Donald Trump sparked controversy once again this Wednesday after the installation of a series of commemorative plaques on the “Presidential Walk of Fame” at the White House, where each U.S. president is featured alongside a brief description of their legacy.
According to reports from journalist Juan Camilo Merlano, one of the new plaques dedicated to former President Joe Biden labels him as the worst in history.
“The sleepyhead Joe Biden was, by far, the worst president in the history of the United States”, reads the plaque.
Additionally, instead of the image that would correspond to Biden, he had placed a photograph of an automatic pen—the so-called Autopen—implying that Trump believes his predecessor did not know what he was signing.
He also left messages underneath the plaque for Obama, whom he refers to by his full name, "Barack Hussein Obama," and describes as "one of the most divisive political figures in the history of the United States."
Regarding Bill Clinton (1993-2001), the plaque acknowledges his "excellent" economic management "despite his scandals." It goes on to note that his wife, Hillary Clinton, lost the election to him in 2016.
Images shared by journalist Andrew Leyden show the new inscriptions next to the Rose Garden at the White House, in a space that has traditionally been reserved to honor the institutional history of the country's leaders.
"The White House has added text to the Hall of Fame next to the Rose Garden," Leyden wrote on his X account, accompanying the post with photographs of the renovated area."
The gesture has been interpreted as a direct provocation towards Biden, whom Trump has repeatedly accused of "destroying the economy," "weakening U.S. foreign policy," and "plunging the country into an unprecedented security and immigration crisis."
Since his return to the White House, Trump has insisted on revising the historical narrative of previous administrations and "restoring national pride" after what he refers to as "the years of progressive decline" under the Democratic administration.
This gallery is one of the many changes he has implemented in the White House to "make his mark."
Biden has not made any public statements regarding the new plaque or the decision to include disparaging remarks on the presidential walkway, a tradition that until now has maintained a protocol-driven and neutral tone.
Trump's critics describe his message as an “infantile act” and “a disrespect to the presidential office.”
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