Maura Judkis In the commotion of Donald Trump’s return to office, it’s easy to overlook a smaller thing that has vanished: the Swedish ivy plant in the Oval Office. The ivy sat atop the fireplace mantel for most of the past 50 years, providing a backdrop for meetings with countless leaders and foreign dignitaries at the White House. It has filtered the air breathed by Nelson Mandela, Pope John Paul II, Margaret Thatcher and Whitney Houston. When the president stared straight ahead from the Resolute Desk, the ivy is what he saw. It has taken several shapes over the years. Under Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter the ivy was unkempt and bushy. It was pruned back during the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. It features prominently
Tag Archives: OvalOffice
Feb
The billionaire has brought his four-year-old to numerous Washington events. February 11, 2025, 7:40 PM As camera crews and reporters crowded into the Oval Office on Tuesday, trying to focus on President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s first public comments on slashing the government, the dramatic scene at times got stolen — by Musk’s son, “Lil X.” “This is X, and he’s a great guy — high IQ,” Trump said at the top of his remarks, chuckling and calling the four-year-old a “high-IQ individual.” President Donald Trump is joined by Elon Musk and his son X Æ A-Xii, as he signs a series of executive orders in the Oval Office at the White House on Feb. 11, 2025 in Washington. Alex Brandon/AP While defending his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)