The White House proudly named their new Founding Father statues, then had to send a very awkward correction 90 minutes later

The White House unveiled new statues in President Trump’s Rose Garden, only to issue a major correction about who the statues were just 90 minutes later. One statue that was identified as Thomas Jefferson turned out to be Alexander Hamilton, a notable mix-up given the well-known differences between the two men.

The whole thing started when President Trump stepped off Marine One and walked straight to the new additions in the Rose Garden. He told reporters and photographers, “Unbelievable statues. You’ll see. Come and look at them.” He did not answer any questions about Iran at the time.

According to The Daily Beast, White House officials told reporters that the two statues were of Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin. About an hour and a half later, the same official sent a “clarification”, the statue everyone thought was Jefferson was actually Alexander Hamilton. Benjamin Franklin remained Benjamin Franklin.

Mixing up Jefferson and Hamilton is a notable historical error, given how different the two men were

Jefferson and Hamilton were well-known for having opposing views on how the young country should be run. Jefferson supported a smaller government, states’ rights, and an economy based on farming. Hamilton pushed for a strong federal government, a national bank, and a manufacturing-based economy. Their appearances are also quite different, making the confusion a notable one.

The statues are “on loan to the White House for display from generous private American patriots,” though no donors have been named. Other news outlets also received the same rapid correction, confirming the initial error was widespread. This is not the first time the White House has faced scrutiny, critics have also raised concerns about contradictions in White House statements on key issues.

Historically, Jefferson had a direct connection to the White House, working closely with architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe on the building’s north and south porticoes. Hamilton, on the other hand, never set foot inside the White House, it wasn’t completed and occupied until 1800, and he had already resigned as Secretary of the Treasury in 1795.

These statues are part of a broader set of changes Trump has made to the White House and its grounds. He oversaw a renovation of the East Wing and added gold and gilt throughout the building. He also covered much of the Rose Garden’s lawns with paving, calling it the “Rose Garden Club”, a move that upset admirers of Jacqueline Kennedy, who originally designed the garden.

Near the statues, Trump has also created what he calls a “presidential walk of fame” leading from the executive residence to the Oval Office. It includes a troll aimed at his predecessor Joe Biden and derogatory captions under images of past presidents, including Barack Obama. Analysts have also pointed to a significant gap in Trump’s fiscal claims as another area where the administration’s numbers have been called into question.