Presidential call button explained

Some presidents of the United States have had a red call button in the Oval Office of the White House that could call aides. The earliest incarnation dates to 1881 or before, and the modern call button has been in a wooden box on the Resolute desk since at least the George W. Bush presidency (2001–2009).

History

An 1881 letter written by White House disbursing agent William H. Crook refers to an electric bell attached to president James Garfield's desk.[1] Lyndon Johnson had a series of buttons, or keys, to summon different drinks to the Oval Office, Cabinet Room, and "Little Lounge" (a room just next to the Oval Office). In the Oval Office the keys were on the table behind the president's desk. The four keys were for coffee, tea, Coke, and Fresca, and when pressed a butler would fulfill the president's drink request.[2]

The modern call button sits in an approximately 9by wooden box marked with a golden presidential seal[3] [4] and has been on the Resolute desk since at least the George W. Bush presidency. According to Richard Branson, President Obama repurposed it to order tea for his White House guests.[5]

During Donald Trump's presidency, when pressed, a signal would summon a valet who would bring a Diet Coke on a silver platter. At one time Walt Nauta had this job.[6] Trump reportedly also used the button to request lunch, and to pull pranks on new visitors to the White House.[7] [8] Trump stated to one reporter that "everyone thinks it is [the [[nuclear button]]]"[9] and that people "get a little nervous when I press that button."[10]

In the first few days of Joe Biden's presidency, it was reported that he had the button removed;[11] [12] however, it appeared to return a few weeks later when a White House official told Politico that the button was back on the desk with an unspecified purpose.[13] James Corden has said that Joe Biden has an "ice cream button" on his desk.[14]

Notes and References

  1. Book: [{{Google books|hBzSPsNKAUEC|page=62|plainurl=yes}} The White House: The Ronald W. Reagan Administration, 1981-1989 ]. 62 . . . 1989 . January 22, 2021.
  2. Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum . Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum . LBJLibrary . 857265417747824646 . Many have asked about LBJ having a Fresca button in the White House. Short answer—yes, he did. More details from our archives: . ymd . 2021-01-26 . yes . https://web.archive.org/web/20210131093143/https://twitter.com/LBJLibrary/status/857265417747824646 . 2021-01-31 . live .
  3. Book: Sims, Cliff . 2019 . Team of Vipers My 500 Extraordinary Days in the Trump White House . . 9781250223890 . 2021-01-26 . Google Books . 78 .
  4. Web site: 'Yes, Mr. President': A call button for President Bush on his desk in the Oval Office . 2008-04-04 . . 2021-01-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140724051104/http://content.time.com/time/politics/whitehouse/photos/0,27424,1728087,00.html . July 24, 2014 . live .
  5. Web site: Obama Used His Oval Office Red Button For Tea, According To Richard Branson . Strutner . Suzy . 2017-10-13 . . 2021-01-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181003020411/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/obama-red-button_n_59e11edfe4b0a52aca17f8f5 . 2018-10-03 . live .
  6. Web site: Hartmann . Margaret . March 21, 2023 . Diet Coke Valet Is Trump's Most Loyal Aide . June 10, 2023 . . en-us.
  7. Web site: Dan. Evon. 2021-01-21. Did Trump Have a 'Diet Coke' Button in the Oval Office?. 2021-01-22. Snopes. en-US.
  8. Web site: Lejeune. Tristan. 2021-01-21. Trump's Diet Coke button appears to have left Oval Office when he did. 2021-01-22. The Hill. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20210121201225/https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/535289-trumps-diet-coke-button-appears-to-have-left-oval-office-when . 2021-01-21 . live.
  9. 2017-04-27. Alana. Abramson. President Trump Presses a Button in the Oval Office to Get a Coke. 2021-01-22. Time. https://web.archive.org/web/20170430054158/https://time.com/4758059/donald-trump-coke-nuclear-button/ . 2017-04-30 . live.
  10. Web site: McLaughlin. Kelly. Biden brought the button Trump used to order Diet Cokes back to the Oval Office. 2021-04-08. Business Insider.
  11. Web site: Graeme. Massie. 2021-01-21. Biden removes Trump's Diet Coke button from the White House. 2021-01-22. The Independent. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20210122000657/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/diet-coke-button-biden-trump-b1791006.html . 2021-01-22 . live.
  12. Web site: 2021-01-21. Reimann. Nicholas. Moon Rock In, Diet Coke Button Out: Here Are The Changes Joe Biden Has Made To Oval Office Decor. 2021-01-22. Forbes. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20210122084446/https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2021/01/21/moon-rock-in-diet-coke-button-out-here-are-the-changes-joe-biden-has-made-to-oval-office-decor/?sh=67d49a8e6a2f . 2021-01-22 . live.
  13. Web site: Rayasam . Renuka . Ward . Myah . Impeachment means 2022 is already here . Politico. 2021-01-25 . . 2021-01-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210126013200/https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-nightly/2021/01/25/impeachment-means-2022-is-already-here-491516 . 2021-01-26 . live .
  14. News: Ashleigh Rainbird . 29 June 2022 . James Corden shares excitement at finding Joe Biden's 'ice cream button' . January 28, 2024 . en-us.

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