It was updated Sept 7, 2022, 10:57am.
It will be the first time in a decade that the official White House portraits of the former president and his wife will be unveiled.
The Phoenix Awards Dinner was held at the Washington Convention Center.
The first joint return to the White House for the Obamas since they left during the Trump inauguration will be hosted by the Bidens.
After a president and first lady leave the White House, their immediate successors usually welcome them back for an often bipartisan ceremony to unveil the portraits.
The White House Historical Association president told CNN that it was important for the portraits to be on display when the public could see them in person.
Two portraits of the Obamas were painted by two different artists. According to the White House Historical Association, presidents and first ladies influence over their portraits, and artists selected aim to capture both their appearances and personality as they weave president's history through the works of art. The portraits on the national tour are different from the ones in these.
In 2012 portraits of former President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush were unveiled at the White House. Barack Obama said at the time that the presidency was more important than the politics. The portraits of the White House shouldn't be confused with the portraits at the National Portrait Gallery. The portraits of Barack and Mrs. Obama were put up before they left the White House. The paintings were part of a national tour.
According to the Washington Post, the Obama and Biden camps are at odds. Some Biden staffers are resentful that Obama didn't support Biden's presidential run more and are frustrated by what they say is a lack of respect, while others brag that they have avoided the mistakes of Obama's administration. The White House denied that there was any tension between the presidents and their camps.
Trump's portrait won't hang near obama's for long.
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