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Here’s the thing about the small desk Trump is sitting at. It’s like... a bill-signing desk. It’s meant to have a dozen or so people around it. I think it might be small so that more people can cram in for a photo op.
It is not intended to be a desk you sit at alone.
It is not intended to be a desk you sit at alone.
Really, it’s not the desk that’s weird. This small desk has been used many, many times when Presidents sign bills into law.
Seriously. The desk is fine. Presidents have sat at this kind of desk for decades in signing ceremonies.
What’s *weird* is that Trump would want to sit at this desk to answer questions from the press. Get up. Go to another room. Like the Press Briefing Room, for instance.
What’s *weird* is that Trump would want to sit at this desk to answer questions from the press. Get up. Go to another room. Like the Press Briefing Room, for instance.
This is not the first time Trump has sat at the bill-signing desk either. In fact, years ago, he even remarked, “This is a child’s desk, but that’s okay.” https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/325991-trump-mocks-childs-desk-at-bill-signing
(Like, I’m all for poking fun at this fuckin’ bozo. Knock yourselves out. But as per usual, it’s his *behavior* that makes him a dum dum, not the damn piece of furniture. This desk is pretty heckin’ standard. You don’t have to make this out to be something it isn’t.)
Once again, I regret not turning off comments.
A few more things.
I refuse to believe this was a “trick” or that it was a choice he made himself.
Why not the Briefing Room? (podium)
Why not the Oval? (desk)
This seems to be a result of someone insisting he do this in the Mural Room, but I can’t figure out why.
I refuse to believe this was a “trick” or that it was a choice he made himself.
Why not the Briefing Room? (podium)
Why not the Oval? (desk)
This seems to be a result of someone insisting he do this in the Mural Room, but I can’t figure out why.
It’s not unheard of to address the press in the “Diplomatic Reception Room” with a podium. And sometimes the desk is in this room! But not without signing a bill, I think.
I did find instances of this desk in this room.
I did find instances of this desk in this room.
Fun Fact™: They have at least two of these desks. Sometimes there’s a signing ceremony with multiple parties.
However sometimes they bring out a long table for signing ceremonies with more than two people.
They also sometimes bring the small table into the Oval for guests (??)
However sometimes they bring out a long table for signing ceremonies with more than two people.
They also sometimes bring the small table into the Oval for guests (??)
A great observation here. The small desk *looks* shorter, but is really the same height as the Resolute Desk. https://twitter.com/monteiro/status/1332399354481577985
Though Obama mostly used the same desk (1st), sometimes he did use some oddball desks (2nd and 3rd). I wish the Presidential Water Glass Table (4th) had a seal too, tbh.
I think the current style of “bill-signing desk” has been used since maybe Jimmy Carter. I can find some similar kinds of desks before then, but they’re different. Nixon used a few.
Different ones still from LBJ.
I can’t really seem to find any “small” desks during the Kennedy presidency from signing ceremonies. The further I go back, the more “normal-size” they start to appear.
I can’t really seem to find any “small” desks during the Kennedy presidency from signing ceremonies. The further I go back, the more “normal-size” they start to appear.
Anyway, it’s just a bill-signing desk! It’s where you sign a piece of paper with 30 different pens and are surrounded by a bunch of supporters of that bill.
It’s not a podium, where you stand to address people or take questions from the press.
It’s not a podium, where you stand to address people or take questions from the press.
If I had to guess, Trump wanted to sit rather than stand. But if so, why not in the Oval?
Diplomatic Reception Room is 38’ 7¾” × 28’ 10½”
Oval Office is 35’ 10” × 29’
The DRR is only *slightly* larger, but not large enough that it’d warrant that venue for COVID restrictions.
Diplomatic Reception Room is 38’ 7¾” × 28’ 10½”
Oval Office is 35’ 10” × 29’
The DRR is only *slightly* larger, but not large enough that it’d warrant that venue for COVID restrictions.
I’d bet that the DRR is more easily rearranged and less disruptive. Note: the furniture inside the DRR was moved out to accommodate the President, camera crews, and press.
So if Trump wanted to sit, but didn’t want to have press in the Oval, moving the tiny desk is easy.
So if Trump wanted to sit, but didn’t want to have press in the Oval, moving the tiny desk is easy.
I wish there was more information about the mundane things in the White House, like why they use one room over another, or why a really pretty rug get replaced with a plain green carpet. For such a famous building, there’s VERY few high-quality photos and information about it.
OK. I’ll stop tweeting about the damn desk now.
To all the new followers, hi. I never post about this kind of stuff so I hope you enjoy Disneyland, icon design, and playing cards.
To all the new followers, hi. I never post about this kind of stuff so I hope you enjoy Disneyland, icon design, and playing cards.
I know, I know.
I said I was done with the desk, but I am surprised how many people are convinced that it’s indicative that staffers have “given up.”
Trump sat at this same desk, with the same seal, in the same room, in March of this year, and no one said a damn thing about it.
I said I was done with the desk, but I am surprised how many people are convinced that it’s indicative that staffers have “given up.”
Trump sat at this same desk, with the same seal, in the same room, in March of this year, and no one said a damn thing about it.
