Trump cutout among pranks left at Executive Mansion for Youngkin

A life-size cutout of former President TrumpDonald TrumpSanders calls out Manchin, Sinema ahead of filibuster showdown Laura Ingraham ‘not saying’ if she’d support Trump in 2024 The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Djokovic may not compete in French Open over vaccine requirement MORE reportedly greeted Virginia Gov. Glenn YoungkinGlenn YoungkinThe Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Democrats see victory in a voting rights defeat Psaki claps back at Youngkin over school mask mandates Why our parties can’t govern MORE (R) when he entered his office for one of his first days of work — one of several pranks left by Youngkin’s predecessor.

The grinning Trump image — showing the 45th president posing with both thumbs up and a typed out mock message, “I will call soon — we need to talk about 2024!” — was part of a series of pranks that have become a bipartisan tradition of sorts for outgoing governors in the commonwealth, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.

In addition to the Trump display, former Gov. Ralph Northam (D) pranked his successor — who was sworn in as Virginia’s 74th governor on Saturday — with a play on Youngkin’s signature cold-weather accessory, leaving a blue fleece vest hanging up in the closet with an embroidered message.

“Top State for Business,” the sewn words said, touting a Northam accomplishment.

During the heated gubernatorial race, Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffeTerry McAuliffePsaki claps back at Youngkin over school mask mandates Youngkin inaugurated as first GOP Virginia governor in over a decade Centrist Democrats urge progressives to tamp down rhetoric MORE knocked both Youngkin’s ties to Trump and his political opponent’s vested look, saying the former private equity CEO and ex-president shared a “dangerous alliance” that would “bring division, hate, and Trumpism to Virginia disguised in a fleece vest and khakis.” 

A Youngkin spokesman didn’t address the Trump cutout or fleece vest pranks, but did reveal some other gags Northam apparently had up his sleeve.

Photos of Northam were left all over the governor’s mansion, “including surprising places like the bathroom,” Youngkin’s office told ITK. Youngkin, a Rice University alum, also was welcomed to his new digs with the flags of the University of Houston, his school’s college sports rival. Photographs were also scattered around the home, “representing a certain type of intoxicating plant,” according to Youngkin’s office. Northam signed a bill legalizing marijuana possession in Virginia last year. In addition to the sea of snapshots, a copy of a book penned by McAuliffe, as well the gubernatorial hopeful’s 100-day plan, was left at the governor’s mansion.