Politics

MAGA rioters stormed the Capitol. Now Trump staffers are looting the White House.

A staffer appears to be leaving the White House with a bust of Abraham Lincoln
A staffer appears to be leaving the White House with a bust of Abraham Lincoln Photo: Screenshot/CSPAN

Updated at the end of the story.

Trump administration staffers are being spotted and accused of stealing historical artifacts from the White House as they prepare to leave.

With Joe Biden’s inauguration less than a week away, observers are posting pictures of people who have spent the last four years in the White House leaving with pictures, statues, and other objects as they leave.

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CSPAN’s Jeremy Art posted a video of what appears to be a staffer removing a bronze bust of Abraham Lincoln from the White House.

The bust, according to the Washington Examiner, was created by Gutzon Borglum and usually sits in the East Garden Room, where visitors to the White House can see it.

While the new administration will likely redecorate the White House, works of art from the White House Collection belong to the federal government and usually remain on-site, even as the president changes.

“This is illegal,” wrote Obama administration official Kenneth Baer, retweeting a picture of Trump advisor Peter Navarro walking away from the White House while carrying a framed picture of Donald Trump meeting Xi Jinping.

“These photos belong to the American people, and go to the National Archives.”

Baer noted that it may be possible that Navarro paid to have the photograph printed and framed… but that wouldn’t explain why he was seen leaving the White House with it.

CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta tweeted a picture of what may have been another staffer taking a stuffed pheasant from the White House.

The White House is not commenting on the alleged looting.

UPDATE: Stewart McLaurin, the President of the White House Historical Collection has responded to “all concerned about media photos of items leaving the White House.”

“The White House Chief Usher and the Curator have responsibility for managing and accounting for the White House Collection in every presidency,” he wrote. “They are an exemplary team of career professionals and should have our confidence in carrying out their responsibilities.”

“Be reminded that staff have items of their own that they brought to the White House and can take those items home if they wish. Some items are loaned to staff and offices from other collections and will be returned to those collections.”

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