WASHINGTON, DC – As reported in the Washington Post, it has been confirmed today that Joe Biden’s Oval Office makeover saw the removal of the flags representing the five branches of the U.S. military. During the presidency of Donald J. Trump, the Oval Office was ringed with flags representing the U.S. Army, the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Coast Guard. Upon taking office, Joe Biden’s administration removed those flags, leaving just the American flag and flag of the President of the United States.
In his Oval Office makeover, Biden also replaced a picture of Andrew Jackson with one of Benjamin Franklin. Added was a bust of Latino civil rights leader Cesar Chavez. Biden took two Clinton-era pieces back in the room, including darker gold curtains and a blue oval office rug from the Monica Lewinsky days. It’s not sure if Biden will return those flags to the Oval Office.
Trump installed the flags after taking power in 2017. Former President Barack Obama did not have the service flags in his Oval Office, nor did George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, or Gerald Ford. Trump’s design was a throwback to President Richard Nixon who was the last President before Trump to bring the service flags into the room. Both Lydon B. Johnson and John F. Kennedy had the service flags in the Oval Office.