MS NOW Washington correspondent Jacqueline Alemany shared images of two photos currently hanging on the walls of the recently renovated White House Palm Room. She reported on social media: “White House’s Palm Room doors now lined with photos of Trump standing alongside Putin & Xi.”
Republican strategist Brittany Martinez, executive director of Principles First, responded, “Republican or Democrat, no U.S. president should display framed photos of dictators in the White House. It’s an insult to the democratic values that office is supposed to represent.”
Republican or Democrat, no U.S. president should display framed photos of dictators in the White House. It’s an insult to the democratic values that office is supposed to represent. https://t.co/U0wdG3v39r
— Brittany Martinez (@_Britt_Martinez) October 1, 2026
[NOTE: Principles First is a conservative organization founded in 2019 to serve as an alternative to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).]
According to PBS NewsHour White House correspondent Liz Landers, the photos have been hanging since at least April, when she recorded them on video, see below.
Yesterday going through the Palm Room doors at the White House (area connecting West Wing to residence), a look at the portraits on one wall: British Royal family & Trump; Xi & Trump; MBS & Trump, and Netanyahu & Trump. Solo pics too. The Putin & Trump image remains (see video) pic.twitter.com/aTxZMLLlGQ
— Liz Landers (@ElizLanders) April 7, 2026
When Trump gave an exclusive tour of the newly renovated room to his daughter-in-law — and Fox News personality — Lara Trump, he stood in front of the photo of him with Russian President Vladimir Putin and claimed of the room originally designed by First Lady Jackie Kennedy, “It was falling apart, falling down,” and “the tiles were all broken, the wall was literally falling down.” Trump noted that he added a chandelier and marble floor.
Trump has a special place for Putin in the White House
Fox News showed the interior of the White House’s Palm Room, where Donald Trump keeps photographs associated with his presidency.
Notably, among the many pictures on display, only one shows Trump with another person —… pic.twitter.com/KDa6Nq4SEc
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) May 31, 2026
The New York Times reported that the White House declined to disclose how much the renovation cost or who paid for it.
Below is a photo of President Trump talking with his guest, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, in the Palm Room in 2019.
