Most keep an eye on what’s going on inside the office – which deals are made, which policies are announced and which foreign dignitaries visit. But with every inch of space on display, U.S. presidents, their families and their teams also choose meticulously which pieces of art to install, what furniture to transport and even what items to put on the shelves.
See how Biden decided to change the Oval Office.
A bronze bust of union leader Cesar Chavez was also placed on the sideboard behind his desk.
Although not fully visible to television cameras, the Post reported that “busts of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy flank a fireplace in the office.” There are also busts by Rosa Parks, Eleanor Roosevelt and a sculpture by Allan Houser representing a horse and rider Chiricahua Apache. The sculpture, the Post said, belonged to the late Senator Daniel Inouye, a Democrat who represented Hawaii.
The Post’s report says other parts of the office now feature paintings by George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and a bust by Daniel Webster, a former senator who defended the Union. A bust by Winston Churchill was also removed from the exhibition.
On the Resolute Table
Two sets of objects spotted at the Resolute Table when Biden took office definitely reflect a transition of power: a set of cups and saucers, as well as a box of pens to sign orders.
Interior decoration
The Bidens selected at least two Clinton-era furniture to replace Trump’s selections – a blue Oval Office rug and darker gold curtains, according to the Post. Other items, which may seem familiar, were chosen from the White House collection, says the Post.
Subtle changes
Flags of the United States military branches, which Trump originally added to the room’s decor, have been removed.
Photographs behind the president normally displayed on a sideboard were also exchanged to show Biden’s family, including his deceased son, Beau.
And Trump’s Challenge Coin collection, often placed on the sideboard, was also gone.