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Transcript/Script(PLAYBOOK SLUG: CX T24 0117 White House Moving Day
HEADLINE: Behind the scenes during moving day at the White House
Teaser: 'Organized chaos' reigns as staff moves new president in and old president out, in about six hours
PUBLISHED: 01/20/2025 at 8:45am
BYLINE: Dora Mekouar
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Washington
VIDEOGRAPHER:
PRODUCER: Dora Mekouar
SCRIPT EDITORS: MAS, Holly Franko
VIDEO SOURCE (S): AP, Reuters, Teams interviews
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB__ TV _X_ RADIO __
TRT: 3:14
VID APPROVED BY: Jepsen
NOTE:))
[[Deletes TYPO AS INDICATED IN RED BOLD LETTERS. This corrects the first script released on Friday, January 17.]]
((INTRO)
[[When Donald Trump is sworn in as the nation's 47th president, there will be a swirl of activity behind-the-scenes at the White House. Over about six hours, the personal belongings of outgoing President Joe Biden and family will be removed from the executive mansion, while the private residence will be made into a home for the newly sworn-in president. VOA's Dora Mekouar {Meh-kware – rhymes with "bar"} reports.
((NATS))
((NARRATOR))
The moment Joe Biden leaves the Oval Office for the last time — likely in the morning on Inauguration Day — the White House staff jumps into action. Rearranging the iconic office to the incoming president's tastes.
((Mandatory credits:
Nixon Library / National Archives
Ford Library / National Archives
White House / Library of Congress))
((Angella Reid, Former White House Chief Usher))
"How they like the Oval Office to be outfitted. What rug? What, you know, what drapes, what desk, etcetera because that's the kind of the Oval Office is the first area to be sort of prepared."
((NARRATOR))
((Credit: White House Historical Association))
Photos show that Biden changed the rug and some chairs in 2017 after taking over from Donald Trump – who preceded him and will also succeed him.
((NARRATOR))
But it looks like the couches and curtains remained the same.
((NARRATOR))
The president's family lives on the second and third floors of the White House.
((Mandatory courtesy: White House Historical Association))
Before moving day, the incoming president and first lady choose what furniture and art they want from the White House collection. By the time the new president arrives home on Inauguration Day, the furniture is in place and personal family photos are on the walls.
((Kate Andersen Brower, Author of 'The Residence'))
"When the new president and first lady move in, they have their favorite shampoo in the shower. They have their toothbrush, toothpaste on the counter, they have their clothes hung up in the closet."
((NARRATOR))
It all happens in under six hours with about one hundred White House staffers pitching in.
((Kate Andersen Brower, Author of 'The Residence'))
"You don't have professional movers doing this. You have the residence staff doing it, so you have everybody pitching in and these are not people that are trained as movers. They don't hire professionals because of security concerns."
((NARRATOR))
Many of the White House residence staff worked for Donald Trump during his first term from January 2017 until January 2021.
((Kate Andersen Brower, Author of 'The Residence'))
"So the staff really did like Donald Trump because he's used to having people around him serving him. // and, you know, he would go around tipping staff in cash, you know, handing out 20s and 50s and they appreciate that. They are not political. They just care about how the president treats them."
((Mandatory Courtesy: Angella Reid))
((NARRATOR))
President Barack Obama hired Angella Reid to be the White House's Chief Usher in 2011. She oversaw moving day in January 2017 when the Obamas moved out and the Trumps moved in.
((Angella Reid, Former White House Chief Usher))
"We have used the term 'organized chaos,' but it really is a very coordinated operation. // "It's been rehearsed, you know, so many times that on that day, everyone is just chomping at the bits for go time."
((NARRATOR))
There were some hiccups, like having to use only one elevator.
((Angella Reid, Former White House Chief Usher
"The elevator was not, you know, being used to its most optimum. So I took responsibility for like for an hour of the time, sort of righting that by actually running the elevator. There was an instance of, maybe one mattress for one specific room, not being the right size."
((NARRATOR))
But the main challenge is always the time constraint. And having just about six hours to get everything ready to welcome the new presidential family home to the White House for the first time.
Dora Mekouar, VOA News, Washington.
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
Subtitles / Dubbing AvailableNo
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateJanuary 20, 2025 09:12 EST
BylineDora Mekouar
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
