In a move that has sparked controversy, new explanatory plaques have been installed along the 'Presidential Walk of Fame' at the White House, offering sharply critical assessments of former US presidents, particularly Democrats Joe Biden and Barack Obama. The plaques, conceived and dedicated by former President Donald Trump, were unveiled on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, on the Colonnade beneath presidential portraits.
A Tribute in Trump's Unfiltered Tone
The exhibition reflects the unfiltered and distinctive tone characteristic of Trump's social media posts. A plaque at the front states that the walk was "conceived, built, and dedicated" by Donald J. Trump as a tribute to past commanders-in-chief, "good, bad and somewhere in the middle." However, the content of the individual plaques goes far beyond a neutral historical record.
Trump's own plaque prominently boasts about his 2024 election victory and promises of ushering in a "Golden Age of America." In stark contrast, the descriptions for his immediate Democratic predecessors are scathing.
Pointed Critiques of Biden and Obama
The plaque for Joe Biden is particularly harsh. Instead of a standard headshot, it features an image of an auto-pen, implying he was unaware of documents he signed. It labels him "Sleepy Joe Biden" and declares him "by far, the worst President in American History." The text claims he took office after "the most corrupt Election ever" and oversaw disasters that brought the nation "to the brink of destruction," before crediting Trump with saving America through re-election.
Barack Obama's plaque is similarly critical. It acknowledges him as the first Black president but also calls him "one of the most divisive political figures in American History." It takes aim at his signature policies, referring to the Affordable Care Act as the "highly ineffective 'Unaffordable' Care Act" and criticising the Paris Climate Accords.
Other Presidents Also Receive Trump's Commentary
The revised walk of fame does not spare presidents from Trump's own Republican party. The plaque for George W. Bush credits him with creating the Department of Homeland Security and the PEPFAR AIDS relief program but states the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq "should not have happened."
Bill Clinton's mention focuses not on his presidency but on his wife's electoral defeat, noting: "In 2016, President Clinton’s wife, Hillary, lost the Presidency to President Donald J. Trump!"
John F. Kennedy's plaque offers a more traditional summary, highlighting his diplomatic handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis and noting his tragic assassination, but also mentions the failed Bay of Pigs invasion.
The installation transforms a typically dignified presidential exhibit into a platform for political commentary, directly importing the confrontational rhetoric of Trump's public persona into the physical space of the White House. It stands as a highly unconventional historical record, framed entirely through the lens of the 45th president's perspectives and grievances.
