Advertisement

How Biden has changed the Oval Office so far

Caitlin O'Kane
·2 min read
How Biden has changed the Oval Office so far

President Joe Biden moved into the White House on Wednesday and he's already made changes to the place to make it more his own. Images of Mr. Biden's Oval Office show he's replaced several pieces of artwork, a few statues and the rug.

Although many presidents have used the Oval Office before him, it now reflects Mr. Biden and what's important to him.

Artwork

A portrait of Benjamin Franklin has replaced one of Andrew Jackson, which was on the wall near the president's desk during former President Donald Trump's term.

There are also paintings of former Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.

Biden began his presidency with a soaring appeal to end Americas
Biden began his presidency with a soaring appeal to end Americas

Statues

ADVERTISEMENT

Mr. Biden added several statues to his Oval Office, including a bust of Cesar Chavez. President Barack Obama also honored the labor and civil rights activist during his presidency, declaring Chavez's birthday, March 31, Cesar Chavez Day.

A sculpted bust of Cesar Chavez oversees a collection of personal framed photos on a table in the Oval Office awaiting President Joseph Biden at the White House in Washington, DC. / Credit: Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images
A sculpted bust of Cesar Chavez oversees a collection of personal framed photos on a table in the Oval Office awaiting President Joseph Biden at the White House in Washington, DC. / Credit: Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images

It appears the Mexican-American labor leader made an impact on Mr. Biden, who is choosing to honor Chavez with a sculpture on the table behind his desk, where several family photos are displayed.

One of the framed photos is of Mr. Biden with his son late son, Beau, as a child. Beau Biden, who was Delaware attorney general, died at age 46 following a two-year battle with brain cancer in 2015. Mr. Biden often mentions Beau, and in a speech on the eve of his inauguration he said his "one regret" is that Beau could not be there.

Sculptures of Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks also adorn the office, photos show.

A sculpted bust of Rosa Parks, foreground, and Abraham Lincoln, right, on a table seen during an early preview of the redesigned Oval Office. / Credit: Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images
A sculpted bust of Rosa Parks, foreground, and Abraham Lincoln, right, on a table seen during an early preview of the redesigned Oval Office. / Credit: Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Mr. Biden often recalls the impact of the civil rights movement on America and the need for continued justice today. It was important for him "to walk into an Oval that looked like America and started to show the landscape of who he is going to be as president," Ashley Williams, the deputy director of Oval Office operations, told The Washington Post, which got an exclusive 20-minute tour before Mr. Biden entered his new space.

Other busts in Mr. Biden's office include those of Eleanor Roosevelt and former Senator Daniel Webster, according to the Post.

Desk

While Mr. Biden made several decor changes, he kept one thing the same: the Resolute Desk. The oak desk was built from materials that were used in the British Arctic exploration ship HMS Resolute.

When Mr. Trump assumed office in 2017, he also chose to keep the Resolute Desk, which was used by Mr. Obama, too. It is the most ornate of the Oval Office desks and its most popular one.

The Oval Office of the White House is newly redecorated for the first day of President Joe Biden's administration, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. / Credit: Alex Brandon/AP
The Oval Office of the White House is newly redecorated for the first day of President Joe Biden's administration, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. / Credit: Alex Brandon/AP

Rug

A dark blue rug now covers the Oval Office floor. It was taken out of storage to replace a lighter one used by Mr. Trump, according to the AP.

President Biden making environmental issues and climate change a priority

California student in viral video details hardships that shaped her journey to Harvard University

Biden administration issues 100-day moratorium on deportations