# What happens to all the President's photos **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 18, 2017, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-all-the-presidents-photos/777472 "2017-01-18T15:24:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-all-the-presidents-photos/777472/21 "2017-01-19T18:13:26Z")
> [@Evan\_Drake](#): > > These magazines dealt with the Kennedy assassination and his legacy, in a star-struck way ( even at the age of 4 I could be suspicious of a snow job ), and one detail in the description of the immediate aftermath forever stayed with me. That very night, all around the world, in the bases and US installations, the official photos of JFK were taken down and LBJ beamed in his place. I seem to recall reading this, too. But looking back, I doubt that it was actually true. Where would all these locations “across the world” have obtained photos of LBJ that fast? It isn’t like they all have a photo of the Vice President on hand just in case of a sudden death of the President. And even if a government printing office rushed to print photos, it would take time to get them delivered to all these locations. What actually happened in our local Post Office was that they draped black cloth around JFK’s photo that same afternoon, and it stayed like that until they got an LBJ photo to replace it. ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-all-the-presidents-photos/777472/22 "2017-01-19T18:48:31Z")
> [@Evan\_Drake](#): > > As a small child, although not American there were some very old American magazines about. One of these, I think, was _Esquire_. Anyway it was large and flat with a lot of black and white pictures as was common in the olden times. > > These magazines dealt with the Kennedy assassination and his legacy, in a star-struck way ( even at the age of 4 I could be suspicious of a snow job ), and one detail in the description of the immediate aftermath forever stayed with me. That very night, all around the world, in the bases and US installations, the official photos of JFK were taken down and LBJ beamed in his place. > [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > I seem to recall reading this, too. > > But looking back, I doubt that it was actually true. > Where would all these locations “across the world” have obtained photos of LBJ that fast? It isn’t like they all have a photo of the Vice President on hand just in case of a sudden death of the President. I have no idea if the story is true but some government agencies hang pictures of the President and Vice President in their lobbies. It might simply have been a matter of moving LBJ’s Vice President picture into the “President” slot. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-all-the-presidents-photos/777472/23 "2017-01-19T21:03:12Z")
If the government were like some of my relatives, the new picture would just go on top and the frame would get thicker and thicker over time.] eta - no, they’re not doing it with pictures of the president - it’s mostly pictures of kids or grandkids. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-all-the-presidents-photos/777472/24 "2017-01-20T00:38:42Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > They’re sent to a farm upstate where they can run around and play with other photos. We’ll meet again at the Kodachrome Bridge. ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-all-the-presidents-photos/777472/25 "2017-02-01T13:39:23Z")
Got my answer. This is from the email sent at my agency: “All photos of previous administration officials are considered government property and therefore must be destroyed and/or recycled. These photos may not be kept for personal use.” ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-all-the-presidents-photos/777472/26 "2017-02-01T15:33:06Z")
> [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](#): > > I have no idea if the story is true but some government agencies hang pictures of the President and Vice President in their lobbies. It might simply have been a matter of moving LBJ’s Vice President picture into the “President” slot. And TBA in Johnson’s old frame? I just finished [“Manhattan”](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3231564/combined) and in the episode after the one where FDR died, as the camera is following the CO of Los Alamos walking into his office he passes some clerk taking FDR’s picture off of the wall and propped up on the nearby cabinet is Truman’s. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-all-the-presidents-photos/777472/27 "2017-02-01T16:27:46Z")
Vlogger Casey Neistat recently published a video to [YouTube of the White House bowling alley](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnOzMj7v-64). He got a tour during Obama’s presidency, but had to promise to sit on it until after Trump’s inauguration. There were pictures of various presidents and first ladies bowling. Very cool 5 minute video. ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-all-the-presidents-photos/777472/28 "2017-02-01T16:36:12Z")
I hope Trump’s photo is hanging up backward right now ! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-all-the-presidents-photos/777472/29 "2017-02-01T16:59:19Z")
I hear that’s a way to summon Old Scratch. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-all-the-presidents-photos/777472/30 "2017-02-01T18:57:03Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > Every Thai person I Know has a photo of the king of Thailand in a prominent place. If you ask our little grandson who it is he replies, “That’s the King!” I think you’re referring to the _late_ King, HM King Bhumibol, Rama IX. Pictures of him continue to be displayed prominently everywhere. 2017 calendars feature him and his wife on the cover, even though he passed away October 13, 2016. I was at a government office a week ago and, although I forgot to look for it specifically, I think I would have noticed if the portrait of Bhumibol had been replaced. AFAIK, no date has been announced for the first printing of banknotes with portraits of Rama X. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-all-the-presidents-photos/777472/31 "2017-02-01T23:56:22Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > This begs the question of “WHY”. Why do all those government offices need a photo of the president? Surely they know what he looks like. Can they put it in a corner out of sight if they don’t like him or his politics? > > Some senior officials, and certainly Ambassadors in the UK might have a picture of The Queen, but it is not all that common. I very much doubt that more than the odd one or two will have a pic of Theresa May. > > I see in films and TV shows that any provincial government manager in the US will have a Stars and Stripes prominently displayed in his office - again - Why? Theresa May is not Head Of State. The Queen is. The president is both Head Of State (the Queen) and Chief Executive (Theresa May). Perhaps the presidential photos are justified as HOS photos, like having the flag. I don’t remember that I ever saw a JFK or LBJ state photograph, but I was young. Surrely the practice of having a “photo of the president in government offices” is more recent? ---
**Author:** ![Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2017, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-all-the-presidents-photos/777472/32 "2017-02-03T16:55:49Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > I see in films and TV shows that any provincial government manager in the US will have a Stars and Stripes prominently displayed in his office - again - Why? For one, it’s a reminder to any visitor to the office of the Town Manager/Mayor/Vice Assistant to the Undergovernor that their authority is backed up by the might of the US Government: yesterday, you may have met Candidate Bill in a pool hall, but now that he’s in this office, remember to call him “sir.” More importantly, though, it’s because a US flag makes a nice backdrop for pictures, and lots of people who visit public officials want their photo taken shaking the hand of the Commissioner of Spackleculture. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2017, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-all-the-presidents-photos/777472/33 "2017-02-03T18:48:03Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > Theresa May is not Head Of State. The Queen is. The president is both Head Of State (the Queen) and Chief Executive (Theresa May). Perhaps the presidential photos are justified as HOS photos, like having the flag. Except our American posters are saying that there are also commonly pictures of Cabinet secretaries as well, which are clearly not head of state. I’ve been in a lot of Federal and provincial government offices here in Canada, and I don’t recall ever seeing a picture of anyone but the Queen and sometimes Prince Phillip. In fact, I didn’t understand the question from the thread title. I passed it by several times, thinking to myself, “Wouldn’t Obama take the pictures from his office with him when he leaves?” Wasn’t until I finally opened the thread that I realised the question was about government offices. That wouldn’t have occurred to me. ---
**Author:** ![RememberMe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@RememberMe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RememberMe)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2017, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-all-the-presidents-photos/777472/34 "2017-02-03T21:35:30Z")
Many US government offices will display the photo of everyone up the chain of command to the president. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-all-the-presidents-photos/777472.md?page=1)