When PresidentJoe Bidenmoved into the White House in January, a new book reports, he found his new home somewhat cold — with unusual remnants ofDonald Trump’s presidency.
“Trump’s existence permeated the White House,” thePerilauthors write, according to anABC News report.
According toPeril, Biden reacted to — among other Trump-specific amenities — a giant video screen where his predecessor used to practice his golf game, projecting virtual versions of the world’s most famous courses onto the wall.
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" ‘What a f—— a——,’ Biden once said as he surveyed the former president’s toys," according to a quote from the book cited in the report. (The White House did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment onPeril, which was published Tuesday.)
Joe Biden (left) and Donald Trump.Alex Wong/Getty; SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty
President Joe Biden.SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty
Biden reportedly referred to the White House as “the tomb,” Woodward and Costa write, adding that safety precautions in place to prevent the spread ofCOVID-19meant that it was not possible to hold social events.
Like most grandparents, they wrote, Biden preferred “relaxing with the grandkids back in Delaware.”
Speakingwith PEOPLE in January, days after moving to the White House, the president and First Lady Dr.Jill Bidensaid they were still settling in.
“It’s surreal … but it’s comfortable,” the president said then. “We were here for eight years, just not in this part of the residence. Spent a lot of time in the Cabinet Room and the Oval with the president. So upstairs [in the private family quarters] is new.”
His wife added, “The residence staff has been so great, trying to make it feel like home for us. We have family pictures all around, our books, some furniture we brought from home.”
Periloffers new details of the months after the transition.
The White House.
Talking to lawmakers, citizens and journalists is part of the job, but Biden’s aides keep up “the wall” as needed, according to the book, referring to efforts to avoid allowing the president to get caught up in events or long interviews, given his well-known (and sometimes controversial) penchant to go off script.
White House Press SecretaryJen Psakihas confirmed that White House aides do sometimes attempt to limit the president’s interactions with the press, but acknowledged that Biden is apt to ignore their efforts.
Biden’s willingness to answer questions from reporters at public appearances is “not something we recommend,“Psaki said in Mayduring a podcast interview with CNN’s David Axelrod.
“A lot of times we say ‘Don’t take questions,’ " she added, but “he’s going to do what he wants to do, because he’s the president of the United States.”
source: people.com
