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Created May 14, 2025 05:53
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Roosevelts Portraits in Roosevelt Room

Even before President Nixon formally named it the Roosevelt Room, a tradition existed of Democratic administrations hanging Alfred Jonniaux's portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt over the mantel with Theodore Roosevelt's equestrian portrait by Tade Styka titled Rough Rider hung on the south wall. Republican administrations hung Teddy Roosevelt's painting above the mantel and moved FDR's portrait to the south wall. Bill Clinton decided to keep the landscape formatted Teddy Roosevelt portrait above the mantel and FDR's portrait on the south wall.

FDR: (1933-1945) Can't find anything here other than he had an aquarium and fish in here. I find it unlikely he would put a picture of himself up and Alfred Jonniaux's portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt hadn't been painted yet (1958).

Truman

Can't find anything here either.

Eisenhower

Can't find anything here. Supposedly he hated this room.

JFK (1961-1963)

Mantel and fireplace in the Fish Room

Mantel and fireplace in the Fish Room (Robert Knudsen. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston)

Fish Room, White House

View of the Fish Room. White House, Washington, D.C. [Streaks in lower portion of image are original to the negative.] (Robert Knudsen. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston)

I have no idea what painting is above the mantle but I am certain it is not FDR or Teddy. I see no paintings of FDR or Teddy here. There is a painting of Benjamin Franklin on the right though.

LBJ (1908–1973) Turkey and President Johnson 1967

Turkey and President Johnson 1967

Rough rider isn't above the mantle.

Richard Nixon (1969-1974)

![37-whpo-3716-cs](https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/sites/default/files/forresearchers/find/av/whpo_cs/37-whpo-3716- cs.jpg)

ROLL NUMBER: WHPO-3716 Color or B/W: ColorPhotographer: Schumacher, Karl

37-whpo-5806-cs

Frame(s): WHPO-3716-09-12, Roosevelt Room. 6/19/1970, Washington, D.C., White House

This one's complicated. I think I will look closer through the Nixon archives, but the images above seem like different rooms entirely.

Gerald Ford (1974-1977)

President Gerald R. Ford Meeting with Ambassadors from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Nations in the Roosevelt Room

President Gerald R. Ford Meeting with Ambassadors from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Nations in the Roosevelt Room

President Gerald R. Ford Meeting with Senior Staff in the Roosevelt Room

President Gerald R. Ford Meeting with Senior Staff in the Roosevelt Room

There's a Teddy over the fireplace but not Rough Rider. I'm missing one angle here unfortunately.

Jimmy Carter (1977-1981)

Jimmy Carter - Energy Meeting in Roosevelt Room

Jimmy Carter - Energy Meeting in Roosevelt Room

I see Rough Rider, a different picture of Teddy, and the portrait of FDR, but they're all on the same wall.

Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8Fu5M0JVCI

As for the other side of the wall, we now have video evidence, and there is indeed a wall with FDR, Teddy, and Rough Rider. The one above the mantle is definitely not either Rough Rider or FDR.

George H.W. Bush (1989-1993)

Can't find anything here.

Bill Clinton (1993-2001)

ClintonRooseveltRoom

ClintonRooseveltRoom

The tradition is finally here (or maybe GHWB did it). Still. it doesn't really matter since the article says this is when they stopped following it, but I'll keep going for fun

George W. Bush (2001-2009)

Dunno

Barack Obama (2009-2017)

Roosevelt_Room.png https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/Roosevelt_Room.png

Teddy is still over the mantle but it looks like FDR has been moved away from the South Wall to make room for the rest of the branches of the military. Donald Trump 45 (2017-2021)

by Carolyn Kaster (AP) by Carolyn Kaster (AP)

FDR is still not on the South Wall but Rough Rider is over the mantle still

Joe Biden (2021-2025)

Roosevelt Room, Biden Administration by Bruce White (White House Historical Association)

Roosevelt Room, Biden Administration

Still looks like he's kept FDR where he is, and Teddy is still over the mantle.

Donald Trump 47 (2025-)

Rough rider is still over the mantle but that portrait of FDR is no longer in this room (it's in the oval office)


AKA I am pretty certain the Wikipedia is wrong

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I'm stupid I forgot bas-relief portraits exist

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