The White House unveiled a new portrait of President Donald Trump on August 18, 2025, showing him with a stern expression among American flags against a burnt-orange background. Credited to artist Vanessa Horabuena, it hangs in the West Wing between the Lower and Upper Press Offices and was first shared online by Sebastian Gorka. The same day, Trump pointed European leaders to a painting of the 2024 Butler shooting.
New Trump portrait unveiled in the West Wing
On Monday, August 18, 2025, the White House debuted a new portrait of President Donald Trump, a full-length image that shows him with a stern expression standing among American flags against a bright burnt-orange background. Sebastian Gorka, a deputy assistant to the president, posted the painting on X on Monday evening, calling it “one of the new @WhiteHouse paintings of President @realDonaldTrump” and adding, “More to come.”
According to the White House, the portrait is by artist Vanessa Horabuena. It hangs in the West Wing between the Lower and Upper Press Offices, according to The Independent.
The unveiling came on the same day Trump hosted European and NATO leaders at the White House for talks on the war in Ukraine.
What the portrait shows
The painting shows Trump in his usual navy suit and red tie, standing between rows of U.S. flags. The warm orange background is a departure from the darker, more muted tones used in many traditional presidential portraits.
Its location near the press offices means it hangs in a busy part of the West Wing that reporters, aides and visitors pass through regularly.
About the artist
The White House credited the work to Vanessa Horabuena. The administration did not release further details about how the portrait was commissioned or acquired.
Portraits displayed in the West Wing are separate from the official presidential portraits commissioned for the National Portrait Gallery and the White House collection, which are typically unveiled after a president leaves office.
“More to come”
Gorka’s post said more paintings would follow, suggesting the White House plans additional artwork of the president. Since returning to office, Trump has added a number of images of himself to the White House walls, and some portraits of past presidents have been moved.
The Butler painting
Earlier on Monday, as European and NATO leaders gathered in the Grand Foyer for a group photo before their meeting on Ukraine, Trump pointed to a large painting depicting him bloodied and raising his fist after the July 2024 assassination attempt at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron were among those present.
“That was not a good day,” Trump said. “That was not a great day. See the picture.”
The image of Trump with his fist raised after the shooting became one of the best-known photographs of the 2024 campaign.
Art and the Ukraine talks
The leaders met with Trump in the East Room to discuss efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, days after Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. The group photo in the Grand Foyer, with the Butler painting nearby, was widely shared in coverage of the meeting.
Reaction
Online reaction to the new portrait split along familiar political lines. Supporters praised it as a strong image of the president, while critics mocked the orange background, with some saying it looked like flames, according to media reports.
The Butler painting drew a mix of responses as well. Some viewers saw Trump’s comment as a sober reference to the assassination attempt, while others questioned showing campaign-era imagery during a diplomatic meeting.
Presidential imagery in the White House
Each administration chooses artwork for the White House, including loans, acquisitions and the rearranging of existing pieces, with the Office of the Curator managing the collection. Trump’s second term has stood out for the number of new images of the president himself on display.
What comes next
Gorka’s post suggested more portraits of Trump will be added. Separately, the Ukraine discussions held the same day were part of ongoing U.S.-led efforts toward a peace agreement, with follow-up talks expected.
Sources: The Independent, "Latest Trump portrait revealed after president showed off new Butler shooting painting to world leaders on Monday" (August 19, 2025)
