President Donald Trump said Friday he plans to display a White House portrait of former President Joe Biden that prominently features Biden’s autopen device, now the subject of a federal investigation.
Trump shared sketches of the planned portrait during a meeting with Daily Caller reporter Reagan Reese, saying it would be unveiled in the coming weeks. “We put up a picture of the autopen,” Trump stated while presenting the portrait concept to the reporter in the White House.
Trump did not say whether the portrait would depict Biden with the autopen or show the device alone. He demonstrated its planned placement on his “Presidential Wall of Fame” in the Rose Garden, showing reporter Reagan Reese several portrait options under review.
“I think the black and white – same picture, but black and white. Yeah, and I’m not using that one with the smile,” Trump explained during the presentation. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Communications Director Steven Cheung helped Trump present different portrait options to the Daily Caller reporter.
Trump said the planned Biden portrait would be “very controversial,” pointing to the ongoing federal investigation into the former president’s autopen use. He has previously described Biden’s reliance on the device for official documents as “disgraceful conduct” during his administration.
“It’s true though, now they’re finding the autopen, which should not have been used,” Trump stated during the portrait discussion.
Trump instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House Counsel David Warrington to launch a full investigation into Biden’s autopen use early in his term. Congressional Republicans have opened a parallel probe, running alongside the administration’s inquiry.