This is really bothering me. WHY is the Declaration of Independence behind a curtain in the Oval Office?

[mountain grammy]

The press secretary had to open the curtain.

Anybody??

[EYESORE 9001]

1. Perhaps it's to protect from the harmful effects of light

But with these butt-monkeys in charge, they may be charging by the peek.

[Abnredleg]

5. It's a copy

The original is still in the National Ardhives.

[Iggo]

6. He's a dumbshit.

[mountain grammy]

18. my first thought when he told his dumbshit press secretary to open the curtain.

[hlthe2b]

10. True, but my understanding is that it is one of the rare first copies...

So, it is valuable and likely subject to light damage.

It is ridiculous to display it there when a modern copy could be framed and fully displayed. It is just his damned ego to have this rare copy (he wanted to display the damned ORIGINAl) displayed...

[Wiz Imp]

27. They may have told Trump that, but if you get a good look at it

Last edited Fri May 2, 2025, 06:05 PM - Edit history (1)

It is obviously a more modern copy. I'm sure they're just humoring Trump and letting him think it is an old copy. It clearly isn't . Take a look at it. No fading at all. All the lettering crisp and clear. No way is the copy in Trump's office old.

[EYESORE 9001]

11. Noted

It’s still a rare copy that light could damage.

[FirefighterJo]

13. You can eliminate light damage

By using laminated glass panes. The UV light that causes the damage is filtered by the lamination layers PVA or PVB.

[EYESORE 9001]

17. It's probably more about restricting access to the document

than protection from UV. Symbolically, I think it represents control and limiting access.

[FirefighterJo]

23. I guess you are talking about the curtains?

I was referring to the typical glass pane protecting against physical and chemical threats

[intheflow]

36. I was a picture framer for 10 years.

UV-coated glass can certainly slow the blanching process, but nothing eliminates light damage like keeping it in darkness. The Oval Office windows face southeast, which allows the most possible sunlight into the room, and the windows are huge.

[FirefighterJo]

38. True

But anything that slows down the deterioration... That s why in every window of our home, one of the panes in the double glazing is laminated : less UV damage, less outside noise intrusion and way harder to break in case of an attempted burglary.

[Wiz Imp]

30. It's clearly a modern copy. Take a look at it. It's not faded at all.

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/politics/how-many-copies-are-there-of-the-declaration-of-independence/6194508/

Trump obviously believes it's THE original

https://www.whitehousehistory.org/photos/photo-8-2

[Attilatheblond]

31. He is SOOOOOO dumb and gullible

Makes him feel special to think he has a 'precious'.

How long until he yanks if off the wall, breaks the glass and sets fire to it, thinking that will undo everything?

[mountain grammy]

34. I totally missed that

Thanks for posting.

[intheflow]

37. A document that was in a drawer for 250 years might not be faded.

A lot depends on the quality of paper used and the type of ink. Consider the Nag Hammadi texts, written between 1300-2200 years ago, written on papyrus, are hardly faded at all.



Ditto some copies of the Gutenberg Bible, printed on calfskin.

[bdamomma]

33. The National Archives????

didn't they fire the workers from there??? Is he going to eliminate the 4th of July???

Can we really say we are Independent??????

[mountain grammy]

16. Yep, $10 to open the curtain

[SARose]

29. That sounds more like it

Imagine PT Barnum “come one, come all and see the amazingly beautiful fake Declaration of Independence. Please open the curtain - ta da!”

[RustyWheels]

2. Protection from Sunlight

Ultra violet and other light waves can damage the parchment and fade the ink.

That is if the National Archives actually allowed for one of their originals to be placed there. My guess is not, and it's a replica, which Trump gets to go through the whole "show" of opening the curtains.

[marybourg]

3. That's how the original is mounted.

He’s trying to pretend that his copy IS the original.

[mountain grammy]

14. That's interesting..

I don't remember that, but it's probably been 50+ years since I've seen it.

In his mushy brain it IS the original..

[rsdsharp]

15. No, the original used to be displayed on a wall in the Patent Office.

It’s badly due to exposure to sunlight.

It’s currently

[s]ealed in a gold-plated titanium frame, with bulletproof glass and cutting-edge safeguards against light and moisture, it remains under constant surveillance by armed guards and security cameras. Every night, it is lowered into a vault (along with the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, considered the other essential founding documents of the United States).

https://www.history.com/articles/declaration-independence-printed

[TheRickles]

26. It's now in the National Archives (per your link).

[Norrrm]

4. Looking for the treasure? Out for a rewrite?

Certainly not respect by Trump.

[bucolic_frolic]

7. Symbolism of some kind

Enlightenment about to be occluded by MAGA brilliance.

[CrispyQ]

8. So it doesn't get splattered by stray ketchup?

I didn't think it possible, but everyday I hate him more.

[MorbidButterflyTat]

32. Right there with you.

[crud]

9. not the original

but I think it is probably from the first time printing it. so it is valuable and rare, but not the original.

[John1956PA]

12. A carnival act type of presentation.

Yes, curtaining is appropriate for the original held in the national archives. Trump is trying to mimic the hallowedness befitting the original, despite the fact that a recent interview he gave shows he knows nothing about it.

[delisen]

19. MAGA saying: Pay no Attention to Document behind the Curtain

[Volaris]

20. So he doesnt have to look at a list of the crimes he's repeating

No, seriously...go read it. We're up to about a half dozen of the same actions that bought King George a straight-up revolution.

[Goonch]

21. Gold, statues and a Declaration of Independence copy: Trump's Oval Office redesign March 21, 2025 NPR

"President Trump has remade the Oval Office, adding a copy of the Declaration of Independence behind a curtain, and lots of golden touches...........

https://www.npr.org/2025/03/21/nx-s1-5334676/gold-statues-and-a-declaration-of-independence-copy-trumps-oval-office-redesign

[mountain grammy]

24. It's gross, just my opinion

I would bet there will be a throne in there soon. maybe in front of the fireplace, with Don holding court.

[Baitball Blogger]

22. Any old document needs to be protected from damage from the light. Hence, it should be behind curtains.

The lettering on the real Declaration of Independence is so light, it's barely legible. What is in Trump's office is probably a replica. Another ruse to fool the old gizzard. It's embarrassing the way he peddles the lies.

[ThoughtCriminal]

25. Pay no attention to the document behind the curtains!

[Blue Owl]

28. Kind of a funeral-like vibe

[jmowreader]

35. The National Archives sells those for $14

I take it he hasn't read the thing, because a lot of George III's acts that precipitated it are things Trump is currently doing.