Donald Trump's return to the White House as the 47th US President is marked by a familiar atmosphere and a swift transformation of the Oval Office. Trump acts as if he never left, launching into an impromptu press conference and highlighting the efforts of his staff to recreate his first term ambiance. The article details the changes made to the Oval Office, including the reinstatement of portraits of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, and the return of a bust of Winston Churchill, all aimed at projecting an image of power and dignity. It also touches on the awkward interactions between the Biden and Trump teams during the transition and Trump's surprise discovery of a letter from Biden.
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive for the Commander-In-Chief inaugural ball at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2025.
Instead, the 78-year-old launched straight into an impromptu, 50-minute press conference in the symbolic heart of the US presidency. Trump wouldn't confirm reports of the return of the famed"Diet Coke button" -- a button on the desk that he would press during his first term to summon a glass of his favorite drink on a silver tray.A portrait of George Washington hung over the fireplace as it did four years ago -- replacing Franklin D. Roosevelt who had occupied the spot under Biden -- along with one of the third US president, Thomas Jefferson.
"I just got here. My people came in, they have extraordinary decorators," said Trump, who has spent much of the last four years at his luxury Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida and arrived in a freezing Washington on Saturday. Asked if Biden had left him a traditional handover letter, Trump replied that he didn't know and checked inside the drawer of the historic Resolute Desk.
TRUMP WHITE HOUSE PRESIDENCY BIDEN TRANSITION
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