Echoes of Butler County in White House
What might be one of the most iconic photos of recent times was taken right in the heart of Butler County. Now, there’s a painting of it in the White House.
President Donald Trump replaced Barack Obama’s presidential portrait with a painting by Florida-based artist Marc Lipp in April, according to the Associated Press. AP said this breaks a long-standing tradition where presidents display paintings from their predecessor’s administration.
It is the first time a sitting president has hung a painting of himself in the White House, according to The New York Times.
Lipp sold his piece at an auction, where it was purchased by Andrew Pollack, who then donated it to the Trump administration.
The artwork depicts the then candidate pumping his fist with a bloodied ear moments after an attempt on his life. It is a rendition of the now-famous photograph by Evan Vucci of the Associated Press.
The photo became heavily associated with Trump’s 2024 campaign trail, renowned for his cry of “Fight, Fight Fight!” as it was taken.
The image has made its way back to Butler County, though instead of a painting, it tends to take the form of hats, flags and T-shirts.
