Trump to break presidential tradition of hosting predecessor at the White House for painting ceremony because it's Obama, report says

The decision to axe an official White House portrait ceremony follows mounting tensions between the two presidents

Donald Trump is set to break the presidential tradition of hosting his predecessor at the White House for an official portrait ceremony, according to a new report — because it would require him inviting Barack Obama.

Mr Trump will not host the former president for an unveiling of his and Michelle Obama’s official White House portraits, despite the event being considered a tradition in modern American politics, NBC News reported on Tuesday.

Mr Obama hosted his predecessor, George W Bush, during an unveiling ceremony in 2012, in which he said: “We may have our differences politically, but the presidency transcends those differences.”

However, mounting tensions between Mr Trump and Mr Obama have reportedly caused the event to be cancelled, with no plans to host the former president and first lady for the ceremony for as long as the president remains in office.

The news comes after Mr Obama drew national headlines over his criticism of the Trump administration and it’s seemingly slow response to the coronavirus pandemic during a private phone call with his former aides that was later reported on by multiple news outlets.

Mr Trump has also repeatedly attacked his predecessor with increasing frequency amid the pandemic, claiming he was attempting to somehow overthrow his presidency and dubbing the alleged scandal “Obamagate”, though there is no evidence to support such conspiracy theories.

The claims revolve around Mr Trump’s former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty in 2017 and admit to having contacts with Russia’s ambassador to the United States.

Under Mr Trump, the Department of Justice has dismissed all charges against Mr Flynn “after a considered review of all the facts and circumstances of this case, including newly discovered and disclosed information”.

The president attacked his predecessor after the DOJ dropped the case, calling Mr Flynn a “great warrior” and calling officials in the Obama administration “human scum” for their involvement in the charges.

“You've got a president who's talking about putting the previous one in legal jeopardy, to put it nicely. We have not seen a situation like that in history," Michel Beschloss, presidential historian, told NBC News.

He added: “It takes antipathy of a new president for a predecessor to a new level."

While the Obamas will reportedly not receive an official White House portrait under the Trump administration, their presidential portraits — a separate portrait tradition — were unveiled in 2018 and currently hang in Washington’s National Portrait Gallery.