The Diet Coke button, a distinctive feature from US President Trump‘s first term, has returned to the White House Oval Office.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the small red button, concealed in a wooden box, was observed on Trump’s resolute desk following his inauguration ceremony on Monday.
In 2021, former President Joe Biden had the button removed from the Oval Office.
The button’s function is to alert White House butlers when Trump requires his preferred beverage, Diet Coke, in the Oval Office.
“Everyone does get a little nervous when I press that button,” Trump remarked to a Financial Times reporter in 2017.
During Inauguration Day ceremonies, the Oval Office traditionally undergoes redecoration to suit the incoming president’s preferences.
The refurbishment typically involves exchanging rugs, drapes, paintings and statues with alternative items from White House and government office collections.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Trump’s updated Oval Office features portraits of Benjamin Franklin and George Washington, with the latter positioned above the fireplace.
The office now displays portraits of Alexander Hamilton, the inaugural Treasury secretary and The Post’s founder, alongside former President Thomas Jefferson.
Trump, 78, has reinstated a Winston Churchill bust near the fireplace, maintaining the Martin Luther King Jr bust that both he and Biden showcased.
The gold curtains, selected by Trump during his first term and retained by Biden, 82, remain in place.
The “The Bronco Buster” sculpture by Frederic Remington has returned, positioned beneath Jackson’s portrait. Recently installed silver eagle figures adorn the fireplace mantel.
The neutral-coloured rug from Trump’s previous term has replaced Biden’s blue one.
The Oval Office’s coffee table arrangement has also changed. In contrast to Biden’s chocolate chip cookies, the table now features a floral arrangement and a square gold paperweight bearing the inscription “Trump”.
