One of President-elect Donald Trump’s iconic and quirky elements of his previous term is making a comeback to the White House just in time for day one of his new term.
The infamous "Diet Coke button” will return to Trump’s desk. This custom feature, installed on the Resolute Desk, allows Trump to summon his favorite beverage with just the push of a button. While the button's reinstallation might seem small, it encapsulates Trump’s unique and unapologetic approach to his presidency.
Reportedly, all Trump needs to do is press the red “Diet Coke” button, and the beverage will be delivered to him on a silver platter. During his first term, his then-valet, Walt Nauta, hand-delivered the Coke. Outgoing President Joe Biden had the button removed when he assumed office in 2021.
According to a report, many of Trump’s key features in his office and the White House will be returned, making the landmark look almost exactly like it did when he left office four years ago. The White House staff will have just five hours on the morning of January 20th to move the departing commander-in-chief out and the incoming one in. By the time the Trump family enters the White House, all of their clothes and belongings will be unpacked and look like they never left. No detail will be left unnoticed— even their favorite soap will be in the bathroom, and their favorite foods will be in the kitchen. Family photos will be hung precisely in the living rooms, and the furniture will be arranged to their liking.
The report said that Trump often tipped the staff with $50 bills, pointing out that he liked using cash to tip them.
“It’s easier because they’ve lived there before,” Kate Andersen Brower, author of The Residence, told the Daily Mail. “There aren’t any mysteries about what [the Trumps] would like to have for breakfast, how they operate, what kind of shampoo they use. I mean, they know everything already.”
The report noted that many White House staff have worked at the national landmark for years and usually get along with the incoming presidential family— noting that they set aside their political beliefs for their job. The staff includes butlers, maids, housekeepers, chefs, cooks, doormen, florists, curators, electricians, plumbers, storekeepers, and engineers.
The move-out process for the outgoing president concludes once he is out of office. The move-in process for the newly sworn-in president begins at precisely 12:01 p.m. when his items are unpacked from moving vehicles and put in their place. The White House staff of about 90 people will pack and unpack the president’s belongings, stock, and rearrange the White House to the incoming president’s requests.
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