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Viral Photo of White House Construction Falsely Attributed to Obama Administration
Social media users have been circulating a black-and-white photograph showing extensive demolition at the White House with claims that it depicts former President Barack Obama “wrecking” the historic building to add an indoor basketball court during his administration.
The image began spreading widely in October 2025 as the Trump administration faced scrutiny for its partial demolition of the White House’s East Wing to accommodate a new ballroom. Multiple posts across Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky attempted to portray the construction as evidence of Democratic hypocrisy.
“This is an absolute horrible tragedy to the white house. Literally tearing down a section to — Oh, but wait this picture is when Obama wrecked the wh to put up an indoor basketball court. Using TAX PAYER MONEY,” wrote one Facebook user. “Democrats your hypocrisy is astounding.”
However, fact-checkers have determined the claim is miscaptioned. The photograph appears to show construction at the White House’s West Wing in 1934, during Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency, not during the Obama administration. Similar images from this renovation project can be found in the Library of Congress archives. The viral image has been circulating online since at least 2010, well before the current political discourse.
While Obama, a well-known basketball enthusiast, did make modifications to White House recreational facilities during his presidency, these changes were far more modest than what the viral image suggests. His administration adapted an existing outdoor tennis court to double as a basketball court by adding hoops and court lines—a conversion that required minimal construction work.
The Obama White House did undertake some renovation projects, including a refurbishment of the Oval Office and the establishment of the White House Kitchen Garden championed by First Lady Michelle Obama. However, historical records show no evidence of any large-scale construction projects resembling the extensive demolition visible in the miscaptioned photograph.
The timing of this miscaptioned image’s resurgence coincides with controversy surrounding the Trump administration’s current White House ballroom project. That construction has continued despite the 2025 government shutdown because it is privately funded, according to White House officials. President Trump has publicly stated that the new ballroom “won’t interfere” with the existing structure.
This incident highlights how historical images can be repurposed and presented out of context to support contemporary political narratives. The White House, as both a government building and a national landmark, has undergone numerous renovations throughout its history, with each administration making modifications to suit its needs.
The White House Historical Association, Library of Congress, and the FDR Presidential Library and Museum maintain extensive photographic records documenting these changes over time. These archives serve as important reference points for verifying claims about modifications to the historic building.
As social media continues to amplify claims about both current and past presidential administrations, this case demonstrates the importance of verifying the provenance and context of historical images before accepting claims about what they depict.
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5 Comments
Good to see fact-checking in action. It’s easy for misinformation to spread quickly, especially around political figures. Solid reporting to set the record straight on the origins of this photo.
Attributing old photos to recent political figures is a common tactic to sow disinformation. I’m glad the sources were verified to debunk this misleading claim about the Obama administration.
Demolition and construction work at the White House is not uncommon, regardless of the administration in power. I appreciate the nuanced reporting here to provide the accurate historical context.
Interesting to see the historical context around this image. It’s important to fact-check claims and not jump to conclusions, even when the visuals seem compelling. I’m glad the disinformation was debunked here.
This is a good example of how important it is to verify claims, especially those that seem salacious or politically charged. Fact-checking is crucial to prevent the spread of misinformation.