President Donald Trump introduced the new Presidential Walk of Fame, also known as the Wall of Fame, along the West Wing Colonnade on Wednesday, September 24, 2025. This installation features portraits of all past presidents, displayed in gilded frames, with the exception of former President Joe Biden. Instead of Biden’s official portrait, the display features an image showing an autopen machine signing his signature.
The White House shared photographs and social media posts highlighting the complete installation, which arranges presidential portraits in chronological order along the corridor connecting the White House residence to the West Wing. This gallery includes two images of Trump, acknowledging his terms as both the 45th and 47th president, as well as two portraits of Grover Cleveland, who served as the 22nd and 24th president.
This action fulfills a promise Trump made during an interview with The Daily Caller earlier this month, where he stated he would replace Biden’s portrait with a photo of the autopen. Trump’s decision reflects his ongoing criticism of Biden’s use of the autopen machine, which he argues is indicative of the former president’s supposed mental decline and lack of involvement in official decisions.
Trump has repeatedly alleged, without evidence, that officials from the Biden administration possibly used the autopen to make significant policy decisions without Biden’s consent. He has suggested that thousands of pardons signed by the device should be deemed invalid, describing these actions as a major scandal. Trump has specifically criticized Biden’s use of the autopen for signing clemency decisions and executive orders during his final days in office.
Biden and his former aides have consistently denied these claims. In a recent interview with The New York Times, Biden defended his use of the autopen, asserting that he was actively involved in every decision concerning documents, such as clemency grants and pardons, issued at the end of his presidency. Biden emphasized that any implication that he was not making presidential decisions during his term was unfounded and false.
The autopen is a mechanical device that holds a pen and replicates a person’s signature through programmed commands. According to a longstanding opinion from the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel, using an autopen to sign presidential documents is legally binding if the president has authorized it. The device has been routinely used by presidents from both major political parties and is widely used across Capitol Hill and various government agencies.
House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer announced in May that he initiated an investigation into Biden’s use of the autopen. The Republican-led committee is investigating the extent and context of the former administration’s reliance on the automatic signing device. Trump has called for a thorough investigation into what he describes as potential illegal use of the autopen by Biden’s staff.
The Presidential Walk of Fame installation is part of broader aesthetic changes Trump has implemented at the White House since resuming office. He has added gold accents to the Oval Office walls, installed large new flagpoles on both lawns, and replaced the grass in the Rose Garden with patio stone and tables with umbrellas for hosting dinners at what he refers to as the Rose Garden Club.
Construction is currently underway for a large new ballroom that Trump has promoted as a significant addition to the White House facilities.
According to reports, Trump personally selected each photograph displayed in the presidential gallery.
This is not the first time Trump has used his presidential authority to alter or remove symbols associated with political opponents from displays at the White House. In June, the Trump administration removed a portrait of Hillary Clinton, the former first lady and secretary of state who challenged Trump in the 2016 election, replacing it with a red, white, and blue painting of Trump.
In August, Trump relocated portraits of former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and George H.W. Bush from the White House entryway to less prominent positions within the building. The moves followed previous criticism from the Obama and Bush families regarding Trump’s presidency, including the late George H.W. Bush’s acknowledgment in a book that he voted for Clinton in 2016.
The colonnade has been an iconic architectural feature of the White House since its construction during Thomas Jefferson’s presidency. The open-air walkway provides a direct route for presidents and staff members traveling between the West Wing and the Executive Residence. The new presidential portrait display is positioned adjacent to the renovated Rose Garden area, where Trump has been hosting official dinners and events.
White House officials promoted the completed Presidential Walk of Fame through multiple social media posts on Wednesday afternoon, drawing attention to the autopen substitution with eye emoji captions. Trump stated, “We’ll put up a picture of the autopen.”
A spokesperson for former President Biden has not responded to requests for comment regarding the portrait display.
