The White House has added a new artwork to its collection, featuring Donald Trump alongside four former presidents linked to key tariff debates.
Titled “The Tariff Men,” the portrait was unveiled on Thursday by top White House staffer Harrison Fields, who shared a photo on X, noting it as “A new addition to the West Wing.”
The gold-framed painting positions Trump alongside William McKinley, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and Henry Clay, highlighting a legacy of leaders tied to protectionist economic policies, particularly tariffs.
Henry Clay, the 19th-century statesman, delivered a widely praised 1824 speech supporting protective tariffs as part of his “American System,” arguing that higher import duties would boost domestic industry.
Thomas Jefferson, by contrast, favored lower tariffs early in U.S. history, seeing reduced duties as a way to help the young nation grow economically.
Abraham Lincoln championed tariffs during his presidency (1861–1865) to promote American manufacturing.
William McKinley, the 25th president and a figure Trump often cites as inspiration, signed the Dingley Tariff Act of 1897, sharply raising duties on imports.
Today, Donald Trump continues to place tariffs at the center of U.S. trade policy, impacting nations around the globe. A new deal with the European Union allows the U.S. to maintain duties of up to 25% on cars and 15% on products such as semiconductors and medicines until Europe reduces its trade barriers. China has responded with its own tariffs and restrictions on rare-earth exports.
India faces some of the steepest measures, with U.S. tariffs reaching as high as 50%, linked to India’s purchases of Russian oil.
Meanwhile, Ireland benefited from the U.S.-EU trade deal, with tariffs on its pharmaceutical exports capped at 15%, which local leaders hailed as a significant win for exporters. Canada is considering countermeasures, while Japan and Australia have voiced opposition but are pursuing negotiations rather than retaliation.
