When it comes to confusing people, few can do it better than Donald Trump. Lately, it seems like every day brings a new moment where the former U.S. President says or does something controversial. His latest move? Hanging a framed photo outside the Oval Office—one that quickly went viral once people noticed it on social media.
On Thursday, February 13, Trump met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House. Photographers captured their meeting from various angles, but one unexpected detail stole the spotlight. In the background, an open door revealed a framed photo on the wall. Normally, you’d expect it to be a piece of artwork or maybe a picture of him and Melania from his inauguration. Instead, it was his infamous mugshot—displayed in a grand golden frame, greeting visitors as they entered.
Yes, Trump actually hung up his own mugshot inside the White House.
To make things even more bizarre, the framed image appears to be a front-page story from the New York Post. Trump has long been a fan of the tabloid, especially in the 1980s when it frequently featured him. While most people would see a mugshot as an embarrassing reminder of their legal troubles, Trump has turned his into a political statement. His supporters see it as a symbol of defiance, and his campaign has even used it to sell merchandise.
The mugshot was originally taken in 2023 after Trump was charged with falsifying business records related to a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels during his previous campaign. Despite being the first U.S. president with a criminal conviction, he has not been sentenced to prison.
Now that he’s back in power, the country remains deeply divided, and reactions to his mugshot reflect that. Some social media users have praised him as “the hardest guy,” while others found the situation surreal. One person on X (formerly Twitter) admitted, “As much as I don’t like this man, that photo goes hard, can’t even lie.” Another simply called it “wild times.” Meanwhile, a different user summed it up by saying, “He’s always had poor taste. Not surprised.”
