Trump Hung Side-by-Side Photos of Putin and His Granddaughter in the White House. After Backlash, He Swapped Out the Grandkid Pic

**Trump Redesigns Palm Room, Keeping Putin’s Portrait Amid Backlash**

Former President Donald Trump has made a notable change to the decor of the Palm Room in the White House but has opted to retain a portrait of Russian leader Vladimir Putin on the wall. This decision comes at a time when Putin’s actions in Ukraine have drawn condemnation from various global leaders, with many questioning the appropriateness of the portrait’s display.

Previously, the Palm Room featured a photograph of Trump and his six-year-old granddaughter, Carolina Dorothy Trump, alongside the image of him with Putin. Following criticism for maintaining a photo of Putin—a leader accused of war crimes due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine—Trump did not remove the contentious image of Putin. Instead, he has replaced the photograph of his granddaughter with a new image of himself leaning over the Resolute Desk.

The photograph depicting Trump and his granddaughter at the Daytona 500 NASCAR race on February 16, 2025, has been removed. This event was significant for the Trump family and the absent photo signified a shift in the Palm Room’s decor. The remaining portrait of Putin was from a summit held in August 2025 at a military base in Anchorage, Alaska, where discussions took place aimed at addressing the war in Ukraine.

Following the news of Putin’s portrait remaining in the Palm Room, reactions surfaced from various political figures in Europe. Marko Mihkelson, chair of Estonia’s Foreign Affairs Committee, expressed his disapproval on social media, stating that the hanging of a photo featuring “the greatest war criminal of the 21st century” indicated that peace could remain elusive as long as such decor choices were made.

The Palm Room has also acquired portraits of Trump meeting with various foreign dignitaries, including members of the British Royal Family, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This latest aesthetic choice reflects an ongoing narrative of Trump’s foreign policy engagements during his presidency.

The renovations to the Palm Room are part of a broader update that Trump has undertaken to reconnect the White House with his personal style. The room is designed to lead into the Rose Garden, which has also been refurbished in a manner emblematic of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. Gone are the soft lighting and greenery; instead, stark white walls, marble flooring, and a prominent chandelier define the updated space.

Since the start of his second term in September 2025, Trump has taken to social media to highlight changes made to the White House interior, attempting to present a polished image of both his presidency and familial connections while making controversial selections in decor that have sparked public debate.

As the political landscape continues to evolve, the decision to feature Putin prominently in such a cherished space has ignited discussions about diplomacy, war crimes, and the symbolic messages presidents convey through their choices in decor. Many commentators suggest that such public displays could either undermine efforts for peace or serve as a form of soft diplomacy, depending on one’s viewpoint on Trump’s relational stance with Russia and other global powers.

With the Palm Room now displaying a mixture of familial pride and contentious international relationships, it remains to be seen how these visual representations will impact ongoing dialogues about the United States’ role on the global stage, particularly regarding the contentious relationship with Russia. As criticisms grow louder and dialogues about accountability and justice persist, Trump’s decor choices serve as a potent reminder of the intersection between politics and personal identity.