Overview

• Multiple on-camera appearances and a matching eBay listing confirm the five-panel canvas behind Antoni portrays the German battleship Bismarck.
• A White House official said Antoni’s office also features artifacts of U.S. vessels such as the USS New Jersey and the USS Missouri (sic) to illustrate his maritime interests.
• Antoni’s nomination to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics remains active with no indication of withdrawal or formal disciplinary action.
• Critics highlight the Bismarck’s link to Nazi Germany and its 1941 sinking of HMS Hood as making the backdrop politically sensitive.
• Antoni served as chief economist at the Heritage Foundation and has used the contested backdrop during podcast and television interviews.