President Donald Trump has temporarily replaced the iconic Resolute Desk with the C&O Desk while the former is undergoing refinishing.
“After an election, a president can choose from one of seven desks,” Trump posted on social media. “The desk known as ‘C&O,’ which has been used by President George H.W. Bush and others, is now in the White House as the Resolute Desk receives important refinishing. This is a lovely and temporary substitute!”
Originally brought to the Oval Office by President John F. Kennedy, the Resolute Desk became famous after his son, John F. Kennedy Jr., was seen playing in it while his father worked.
What is the Resolute Desk?
The Resolute Desk was a gift from Queen Victoria to President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1880. It is a double pedestal partner’s desk made from the oak timbers of the British HMS Resolute, as noted by The White House Historical Association.
For many years, the desk was situated on the second floor of the White House before the West Wing was constructed in 1902.
In 1945, the Presidential Coat-of-Arms, representing the seal of the U.S. president, was affixed to the desk.
From 1948 to 1952, the desk was temporarily moved to the Broadcast Room on the ground floor of the White House and used for radio and television broadcasts by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, based on information from The White House Historical Association.
The Resolute Desk was first utilized in the Oval Office by President John F. Kennedy.
When President Lyndon B. Johnson assumed office in 1963, he requested a different desk for the Oval Office, according to The White House Historical Association. The Resolute Desk was part of a traveling exhibition from 1966 to 1977 before being displayed at the Smithsonian.
President Jimmy Carter requested the return of the Resolute Desk in 1977, and it has remained in the Oval Office since, apart from when George H.W. Bush opted for the C&O Desk.
According to The White House Historical Association, prior to its arrival in the White House, the Resolute Desk was part of a British arctic expedition in 1852. The desk was abandoned during the expedition and became trapped in ice. It was recovered in 1855 by an American whaler, and Congress funded the ship’s refitting to return the desk to England as a gift to Queen Victoria.
In turn, Queen Victoria expressed U.S. friendship by constructing a new version of the desk, which was presented to Hayes, The White House Historical Association states.
Which Presidents Have Used the Resolute Desk?
Starting with the 19th president, Rutherford B. Hayes, all but George H.W. Bush, who used it for only five months, have used the Resolute Desk, according to The White House Historical Association.
What is the C&O Desk?
Constructed in a Georgian style from walnut, the C&O Desk features golden handles. It got its name from the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, as it was initially made for one of the railway’s owners before being donated to the White House, according to Realtor.com.
George H.W. Bush was the first and only president to utilize the C&O Desk until Trump.
What Other Desks Can a Sitting President Choose From?
Theodore Roosevelt Desk
Crafted specifically for Theodore Roosevelt in 1903, the desk was located in the West Wing until 1929, then stored away until President Harry S. Truman retrieved it in 1945, according to Realtor.com. Other former presidents, including Eisenhower, Woodrow Wilson, and William Howard Taft, have used the desk for signing legislation.
Today, the Theodore Roosevelt Desk is found in the Vice President’s Ceremonial Office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
The Johnson Desk
Upon assuming the presidency, Lyndon Johnson requested the Senate’s carpenters to create a new desk for the Oval Office; he was the only president to have used it, according to Realtor.com.
Currently, The Johnson Desk is located at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum.
The Hoover Desk
During the presidency of Herbert Hoover in 1929, a fire caused extensive damage to the West Wing, including the Oval Office. While Hoover’s desk survived, it was replaced when new furnishings were installed.
Given by the Grand Rapids Michigan Furniture Manufacturer’s Association, Hoover’s desk was constructed from American wood and a Michigan maple veneer, as per the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.
Upon Franklin D. Roosevelt succeeding Hoover, he continued to use Hoover’s desk to sign important documents, including the New Deal and declarations of war with Japan and Germany, as well as the GI Bill, according to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.
The Wilson Desk
Despite common belief, The Wilson Desk was not named after President Woodrow Wilson; Realtor.com suggests it may have been named for Vice President Henry Wilson.
Both former Presidents Gerald Ford and Richard Nixon utilized the mahogany desk, which is now displayed in the Vice President’s Room at the U.S. Capitol.
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross. Have a story idea? Email her at [email protected].
