Trump swears in as 45th US president today

LAHORE: About 10 weeks after he had pulled off a stunning and seemingly improbable electoral victory over the hot favourite Hillary Clinton, the 70 years, seven months and six days old Donald John Trump will be sworn in as the 45th president of the United States today (Friday) and step into the historic 107-year-old Oval Office, which is the formal workspace of American head of state. 

It is from the Oval Office that the US president confers with heads of state, diplomats,
his staff, and other dignitaries; where he often addresses the American public and the world on TV or radio; and where he deals with the issues of the day. 

According to the White House Historical Association, President William Howard Taft became the first president to walk into the Oval Office, which is located in the West Wing of the 217-year-old White House Complex. 

The Oval Office was designed by a wealthy architect Nathan Corwith Wyeth, who -- along with his brother -- had inherited $100,000 (nearly $2 million in 2017) in trust at the age of just three in 1873. 

(Reference: Washington DC: Historic Preservation Office, Government of the District of Columbia).  Although the first US head of state George Washington had never stayed at the White House, which was not built during his time, inspiration for the shape of the Oval Office was taken from a bow-ended room with semi-circular walls in his Philadelphia home. 

The White House Historical Association views that Washington used to host formal receptions in a bow-ended room in his home in Philadelphia. 

It states: “Before moving to the president’s house in Philadelphia in 1791, George Washington ordered that the straight rear walls of the principal two rooms be rebuilt into a semi-circular form, or bows. In these bowed walls may be found the inspiration for the oval shape of the Blue Room”. 

However, in November 1800, John Adams became the first president to occupy the White House, which was designed by an Irish architect James Hoban, who had interestingly worked as a carpenter until his early twenties before winning an ‘advanced student’ place in the Dublin Society’s Drawing School, Ireland. With a 5.6-metre high ceiling, the Oval Office has been decorated by each American president to suit his tastes. 

Among the features that remain constant are the white marble mantel from the original 1909 Oval Office, the presidential seal in the ceiling, and the two flags behind the president’s desk — the US flag and the president’s flag.

In his time, President George W. Bush had selected several paintings depicting Texas scenes by Texas artists for his office. Many of these paintings are on loan from museums in San Antonio and El Paso.

Many US presidents have used the famous Resolute Desk in the Oval Office or in their private studies. This desk was made from wood taken from the ship “HMS Resolute” and was gifted to President Rutherford Hayes by Queen Victoria of England in 1880. The Queen had actually ordered two desks made from the high quality timber and had kept one for herself.

Pakistanis, who have visited the Oval Office any time during the course of their fellowships or scholarships to the United States, would know that this room features three large south-facing windows behind the president’s desk, and a fireplace at the north end. It has four doors: the east door opens to the Rose Garden; the west door leads to a private study and dining room; the northwest door opens onto the main corridor of the White House West Wing and the northeast door opens to the office of the president’s secretary. 

On December 24, 1929, during President Herbert Hoover’s administration, a fire had severely damaged the West Wing. Hoover had then used this as an opportunity to create more space, excavating a partial basement for additional offices. He had actually gone on to restore the Oval Office. 

The 18th century tall-case clock, commonly called a grandfather’s clock, had entered the White House collection in the 1970s, and has adorned every Oval Office since Gerald Ford’s tenure. The carpet of the Oval Office bears the Seal of the President. 

President Harry Truman’s oval carpet was the first to incorporate the presidential seal. The same carpet was used in the Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations. 

In more recent years, most administrations have created their own rugs.  As part of her overall restoration of the White House, Jacqueline Kennedy had a redecoration of the Oval Office that began on November 21, 1963, when she accompanied President John F. Kennedy on a trip to Texas. The next day, November 22, a new carpet was installed just as the Kennedys were making their way through Dallas and the president was assassinated.