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The White House unveiled a "Presidential Walk of Fame," featuring portraits of presidents — but Joe Biden is represented by an autopen photo, sparking debate over his use of the device.
The White House unveiled a new “Presidential Walk of Fame”. (Photo: @WhiteHouse/X)
UPDATED: Sep 25, 2025 02:45 IST
The White House unveiled a new “Presidential Walk of Fame” on Wednesday along the West Wing Colonnade, showcasing portraits of US presidents — with one unusual exception. Instead of a traditional portrait of President Joe Biden, the 46th president is represented by a framed photo of an autopen signing his name.
“The Presidential Walk of Fame has arrived on the West Wing Colonnade,” wrote Margo Martin, special assistant to the president and communications adviser, in a post on X. A video accompanying her post shows black-and-white portraits of past presidents in gleaming gold frames — but between Donald Trump’s portraits as the 45th and 47th president sits the image of a machine, not a man.
The autopen, a tool used to replicate signatures on official documents, has been employed by presidents from both parties. But Trump and his allies have seized on Biden’s use of the device to question his cognitive abilities and suggest aides were making major decisions on his behalf, including pardons. Biden and former aides who have testified before Congress have strongly rejected those claims.
The latest snub comes as part of Trump’s ongoing effort to undercut a predecessor he frequently mocks, even in front of more than 100 world leaders at Tuesday’s UN General Assembly. He has never acknowledged losing to Biden in the 2020 election, instead falsely blaming voter fraud.
Trump had already hinted he would represent Biden with an autopen on the new Presidential Walk of Fame. He has repeatedly suggested, without evidence, that Biden aides may have used the device to forge his signature or carry out major actions without his knowledge.
Trump has also questioned the legitimacy of pardons and other documents signed with an autopen, despite the fact that previous presidents routinely relied on the tool for official paperwork. A Republican-led House committee is now investigating the administration’s use of the device.
The display is the latest example of President Trump reshaping the White House in his own vision. He has already replaced the Rose Garden grass with a stone patio and initiated construction of a new ballroom near the East Wing.
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(With inputs from Associated Press)
Published By:
Aashish Vashistha
Published On:
Sep 25, 2025
