White House
This week, the White House introduced a new portrait of President Trump, replacing an earlier image that had sparked conversations across social media. Revealed on Monday via X, this fresh image presents Trump with a direct and neutral gaze. Wearing a blue suit paired with a red tie and an American flag pin on his lapel, the President stands against a dark, unadorned background.
Unlike the January photo which was lit from below, evoking a certain eeriness reminiscent of ghost stories told around a campfire, this new image embraces a more natural lighting approach. As Jeff Whetstone from Princeton University explains, “The first portrait done in January was done with something called up lighting — which is lighting from below — which isn’t found in the natural world often.” This technique had cast an intense, almost shadowed look on the President.
In contrast, the updated photo is more balanced in its use of light, echoing the style of Yousuf Karsh’s renowned 1941 portrait of Winston Churchill. Whetstone notes, “In the new portrait, the lighting is more natural but still dramatic. And it’s lighting that shows one side of the face more than the other, so there’s a duality there.”
Previously, Trump’s January portrait drew immediate parallels to his official mugshot from Atlanta’s Fulton County Jail, related to allegations of attempting to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results. In that image, Trump was seen with raised eyebrows and a defiant look directed at the camera.
Traditionally, presidential portraits include a smiling face, but both of Trump’s recent images break this norm. This deviates from his 2017 portrait, where he was captured with a broad smile. Another significant change is the absence of the American flag, a staple in presidential portraits since the 1970s. “The flag to the right hand of the president has been around since Gerald Ford,” Whetstone remarked.
A White House official clarified the temporary nature of the January portrait: “The old one was always meant to serve as a placeholder.” Emphasizing the significance of the new photo, the official added, “The President is the most well-known person on the planet and this new portrait taken during his second term reflects the optimism and resolve of America, especially after a disastrous four years of the Biden administration.”
Trump’s awareness of his public image is well-known. Earlier this year, he criticized a Colorado artist’s oil painting commissioned by the state’s Republican legislature, accusing her of intentionally distorting his likeness. The artist, Sarah Boardman, faced personal and professional repercussions following the incident.
