How you decorate your office and all the things that you put up in it say a lot about you as a person. After all, it’s the side that you want to show the world. But even the things that we display because we think they’re ‘neat’ always carry a certain subtext about how we think unconsciously.
Now, after Joe Biden has been sworn in as the 46th president of the United States of America, people are comparing how the Oval Office in the White House looks as opposed to when Donald Trump led the country. The differences, like you could have expected, are like night and day. And they’re sending very different messages about the kind of America that Biden wants to build.
Where Trump had military flags, a portrait of President Andrew Jackson, and a bust of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Biden opted for portraits of Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Alexander Hamilton. Biden also put up busts of Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks, and Cesar Chavez.
Nathan Rubin, who is an award-winning author, founder of Millennial Politics, and a political commentator, explained to Bored Panda the symbolism of the changes President Biden has made to the Oval Office and the deeper meaning behind it. "I think Biden is sending a message to all Americans that the people he admires are from different parts of the political spectrum, but they all dedicated themselves to building a more perfect union." Read on for Rubin's full insights into the changes, as well as what we can expect from the Biden administration.
Joe Biden redecorated the Oval Office and it's full of changes, small and large, from when Donald Trump was in office
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"Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson famously disagreed on almost everything, but they both were patriots with the best interest of America in mind. Cesar Chavez and Martin Luther King (who are also prominently featured in the Oval) never held elected office, but they pushed leaders to take action. So I think the message is that you don’t have to agree with everyone all the time, nor do you have to be President, a member of Congress, or even a local elected official to make a difference. Being a citizen is enough," Rubin explained to Bored Panda what Biden is telling both America, and the entire world.
In Rubin's opinion, the "most striking" symbolic difference between Trump and Biden's versions of the Oval Office is Joe replacing Andrew Jackson's portrait with Ben Franklin's. "Jackson, who rose to the Presidency via the first wave of nativism and populism, is someone Trump always identified with. Franklin, however, was famous for his scientific tinkering, his inventions, and his help laying the foundation for our constitutional republic. To me, it’s a sign that Biden will trust science and allow it to lead during this pandemic, but also work to preserve our great Republic that Franklin helped to build."
Rubin also opened up about how he's feeling cautiously optimistic about the new administration. However, this doesn't mean that the US will become magically different overnight. "Realistically, I don’t think Biden will be able to accomplish everything progressives want him to, but I also think he’ll be able to accomplish more than conservatives would want him to. So I’m hopeful we’ll be able to make strong progress on a host of issues, but managing expectations will be a challenge for this administration as they tackle numerous crises simultaneously."
Trump used to display his 'Challenge Coin' collection on the credenza
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Meanwhile, Biden put up photos of his family members and a bust of Cesar Chavez
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Trump's old leather chair is now gone...
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...and instead, Biden chose the Dark Academia leather chair which goes very well with the Resolute Desk (which he kept)
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Trump had busts of Abraham Lincoln and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (the latter he kept from Obama's time in the office)
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Facing Biden, as he sits at his desk, are portraits of former presidents and Founding Fathers
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Trump had military flags put up, as well as a portrait of Andrew Jackson, who has recently been criticized for his role in slavery and the treatment of Native Americans
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Meanwhile, Biden removed the military flags and opted for a portrait of Benjamin Franklin, indicating his support for science
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Here are some other changes that people spotted
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Trump tried to portray himself as a strong leader with his focus on military details, meanwhile, Biden is indicating that he is fighting for a more open, inclusive America.
Nothing surprising if you listened to his inauguration speech where he talked about creating a “more perfect Union” by being everyone’s president and encouraged Americans to be more civil to each other.
But before we get ahead of ourselves too much, it’s important to remember one thing. While presidents absolutely do choose what goes up in the Oval Office and they pick out decorations to suit their personal tastes and inspirations, they also most likely have qualified advisers who can give them a gentle nudge about the messages and symbolism they’re sending with each and every choice.
So, even though we can catch deep glimpses into how each president thinks and what they value by looking at their work environment, it’s useful to remember from time to time, that it can be a gently curated image. The ideal they want to be and want others to see them as, instead of the people they might be at this very moment.
This is how some social media users reacted when they say the changes that Biden made
