Once the President and First Lady leave the White House for the swearing-in ceremony, shifting activities inside intensify.
Washington:
Today America will get its 47th President in the form of Donald Trump, while the 46th President Joe Biden will bid farewell to the White House. The world’s eyes are on this swearing-in ceremony, but many employees will be performing an important responsibility at the President’s official residence and workplace.
Every four to eight years, during a few hours, a few dozen White House employees take out the belongings of the outgoing first family and bring in the belongings of the new first family.
Today President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will leave the White House filled with their belongings and personal mementos. Outgoing President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will start living there from today.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will start living from today
Kate Anderson Brower, author of ‘The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House’, said, “It is a wonderful day, when the staff has five hours to take out one family and bring in the other family.”
“They don’t hire movers to do it, they do it themselves, so it’s a situation where all the staff is involved and helping out on the day,” Brower said.
The move traditionally begins in the morning, when the outgoing president and first lady say goodbye to the White House staff, ushers, butlers, cooks and other staff who work at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
According to Brower, this farewell ceremony, held in the State Dining Room, is often emotional, as a bond is formed between the First Family and the staff.
During the ceremony, White House staff present the president with the American flags that flew over the White House during the president’s first and last days in office. The flags are presented in wooden boxes.
whirlwind of activity begins inside
“The president and first lady go to everybody and say goodbye and hug, and sometimes people cry,” Brower said.
Once the president and first lady leave the White House for the swearing-in ceremony, a whirlwind of activity begins inside.
The task list includes everything from replacing mattresses and bedding to moving furniture, moving boxes, refilling refrigerators, stocking up on favorite toiletries, painting and refilling shelves.
“A van would be lined up in one direction to move the outgoing president and the first family’s belongings out of the White House and then you would have another van and truck that would be ready to unload all of the new family’s belongings on the other side of the driveway on the south side of the White House,” said Anita McBride, who was chief of staff to former first lady Laura Bush.
For security reasons, no outside person is hired to handle the move.
Instead, the process is overseen by the White House’s chief usher, a historically non-political role that has changed recently with new administrations. When a candidate becomes president-elect, the chief usher surveys the president-elect’s advance team to find out about their favorite shampoo brands, favorite things, etc.
Donald and Melania Trump are unique among first families because they are returning to the White House after four years away. Since White House staffers tend to stay in their jobs for decades, many of the butlers, chefs, housekeepers and others from Trump’s first term will be working with him again.
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