Overview

• President Donald Trump announced the temporary removal of the Resolute Desk from the Oval Office for refinishing, replacing it with the C&O Desk.
• The Resolute Desk, gifted by Queen Victoria to President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1880, is one of the most iconic symbols of the U.S. presidency.
• The C&O Desk, originally built for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway and later used by George H.W. Bush, serves as a temporary replacement.
• The decision to refinish the desk follows a viral incident where Elon Musk's four-year-old son appeared to wipe his nose on it during a White House visit.
• Trump emphasized the importance of preserving the Resolute Desk’s historical value and described the replacement as a temporary measure.