Did Obama Install a “Muslim Prayer Curtain” in the White House?

Did President Obama remove flags in the White House and replace them with a “Muslim Prayer Curtain”?

The claim is false.

Let’s take a look at the claim which has circulated heavily online since late 2013:

For a long time, I have noticed that the decor at the White House has changed since BHO moved in. The Oval Office is now stripped of the traditional red, white, and blue, and replaced with middle eastern wallpaper, drapes, and decor. The hallway that he walks out of to talk to the press now has middle eastern chairs, drapes, etc. And the thing that has bothered me the most is the bright yellow drape behind him every time he speaks from the white house. It has Arabic symbols on it and has been there from the beginning.

What is missing at Barack Hussein Obama’s press conference?

No it is not the teleprompters. See the other president’s pics for a clue.

These photos (typically shared as a single graphic such as the collage above) have circulated for years and include photos of Presidents Reagan through George W. Bush standing in front of American flags, while President Obama stands in front of gold curtains.

The implication is that President Obama quietly ditched the American Flag to stand in front of an alleged Muslim symbol, referred to at times as a “Muslim Prayer Curtain” or an “Islamic Prayer Curtain.” It appears that this image first circulated during the 2012 election, as early versions prompted readers to vote against Barack Obama.

Gold Curtains

As evidenced in the images below, gold curtains have hung in the East Room of the White House since at least the 1960’s. The following photos show gold curtains from the Johnson and Ford administrations.

2003 Refurbishment

Although the drapes currently hanging in the East Room of the White House look identical to those historic images above, they are not the same ones installed by Jackie Kennedy back in the early 1960’s. A 2003 makeover saw the installation of new curtains in the East Room. White House curator William Allman told the Washington Post that the same fabric which was originally ordered by Jackie Kennedy was used in the refurbished East Room.

Video

Below is a short video summarizing our analysis of the image and claims associated with it.

Google Trends

The Google Trends chart below shows nothing on the search phrase “Muslim Prayer Curtain” prior to late 2013, and several searches since then.

Bottom Line

The rumor that President Obama installed a “Muslim Prayer Curtain” in the White House is false. Gold curtains have hung in the East Room of the White House for decades.

Updated December 11, 2015
Originally published November 2013