— Washington On Wednesday, former president Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama will return to the White House for the unveiling of their official White House portraits.
Michelle Obama is making her first visit to the White House since her husband left office in 2017. President Biden and first lady Jill Biden are visiting the Obamas. In April, the former president attended a gathering at the White House commemorating the enactment of the Affordable Care Act.
Presidents normally invite their predecessors to the White House to present their formal portraits, but former President Donald Trump broke with custom by refusing to invite the Obamas back to the White House during his administration. In 2012, Barack and Michelle Obama hosted former president George W. Bush and his wife Laura at the White House.
The White House Historical Association has funded the cost of the paintings since the mid-20th century. The artists who created the Obamas’ White House portraits remain unknown.
In 2018, the National Portrait Gallery revealed a new collection of pictures of the Obamas.