Where is the resolute desk? Donald Trump's 'petty and small' photo sparks debate: 'Tiny desk left for Biden'
In his first press conference since he lost his re-election bid, President Donald Trump on Thanksgiving Day admitted he would be willing to leave the White House if the Electoral College votes for President-elect Joe Biden but made clear he's not prepared to concede. Trump said, "It's going to be a very hard thing to concede because we know there was massive fraud."
He also snapped at a reporter who pressed on his Electoral College comments, saying, "Don't talk to me that way. I'm the President of the United States. Don't ever talk to the president that way."
However, as Trump spoke to reporters, viewers were more focused on his choice of furniture for the Thanksgiving Day press conference. While presidents usually address the press from behind the Resolute Desk situated in the Oval Office, Trump opted to do so from the Diplomatic Reception Room at the White House. And as social media noted, the desk which Trump sat at while talking to the press and giving his Thanksgiving Day message was quite different from the Resolute Desk.
The Palmer Report quipped in a tweet, "Donald Trump has become so petty and small, they had to cut the Resolute Desk in half just to fit with the moment." A user responded, "The antique resolute desk has been sold on Craigslist. Tiny desk is what will be left for Biden."
Donald Trump has become so petty and small, they had to cut the Resolute Desk in half just to fit with the moment. #DiaperDon https://t.co/bcxIqwiLwE pic.twitter.com/xbteRRUPG7
— Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) November 27, 2020
The antique resolute desk has been sold on Craigslist.
— Dimestore Slurring Mussolini (@DoNotATJack1) November 27, 2020
Tiny desk is what will be left for Biden.
What is the Resolute Desk?
The Resolute Desk was made from the oak timbers of the British ship HMS Resolute as a gift to President Rutherford B Hayes from Queen Victoria in 1880. It has been used by every president since Hayes, except Presidents Johnson, Nixon and Ford between 1964 and 1977. The desk was moved many times — even once, outside the White House — between different rooms including the Oval Office and was finally placed in the Oval Office by then-President Bill Clinton, and has remained in place since.
'Moved to Mar-a-Lago?'
After his press conference on Thursday, November 26, social media exploded with users asking where the Resolute Desk is since Trump did not use it. A user tweeted, "Where is the Resolute Desk? Has it been moved to Mar-a-Lago? Do an inventory."
Where is the Resolute Desk?
— Save the Constitution (@MMareliuk) November 27, 2020
Has it been moved to Mar-a-Lago?
Do an inventory
However, others resorted to joking about Trump's preferred furniture for his Thanksgiving Day press conference. One user tweeted, "As part of his post-election therapy, the President has been returned to kindergarten in order to discover where it all went wrong. I think it started before kindergarten but swap out the resolute desk and see what happens. He even sounded like a five-year-old today. #DiaperDon."
Another joked, "Maybe it’s the implication that the Resolute Desk has Magic School Bus properties where it transforms into a card table if the president is too sad."
As part of his post-election therapy, the President has been returned to kindergarten in order to discover where it all went wrong. I think it started before kindergarten but swap out the resolute desk and see what happens. He even sounded like a five year old today.#DiaperDon pic.twitter.com/0QAmzsxyjL
— Steve Redmond (@sjredmond) November 27, 2020
Maybe it’s the implication that the Resolute Desk has Magic School Bus properties where it transforms into a card table if the president is too sad. https://t.co/WkwVRZ6sxm
— Laura Robinson🗳️ (@LauraRbnsn) November 27, 2020
After the press conference, Trump returned to Twitter to reiterate his false claims about the elections, writing, "I gave a long news conference today after wishing the military a Happy Thanksgiving, & realized once again that the Fake News Media coordinates so that the real message of such a conference never gets out. Primary point made was that the 2020 Election was RIGGED, and that I WON!"
I gave a long news conference today after wishing the military a Happy Thanksgiving, & realized once again that the Fake News Media coordinates so that the real message of such a conference never gets out. Primary point made was that the 2020 Election was RIGGED, and that I WON!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2020