WASHINGTON (AP) — Most presidents can move into the White House once. President-elect Donald Trump does it twice, and his wife, Melania, says it’s much easier the second time.
“I know where I will go. I know the rooms where we will live. I know the process,” the new first lady said recently. She described their first move to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. in 2017 as “difficult”.
Regardless of who the president is, the entire process also challenges the staff of the White House residence: the maids, butlers and others who tend the president’s private living space have about five hours – start to finish – on Inauguration Day to move a first family. and settle into the next one.
“Everything has to be planned down to the minute,” Melania Trump said on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends.”
The clock begins to tick as the outgoing and incoming presidents leave the White House together for a shared limousine ride to the Capitol for the swearing-in.
“As soon as they leave, the Executive Residence staff springs into action,” Matthew Costello, education director for the White House Historical Association, said during a recent online broadcast on the history of the inauguration day. “Essentially, the staff works around the clock to inventory, process and move all of the personal items of a first family and a new first family.”
After the swearing-in, inaugural address, luncheon and traditional parade, the new president heads to the White House to find the family’s clothes, furniture and other personal belongings in place and the kitchen stocked with his favorite foods.
Monday’s schedule may be changed after Trump announced he was moving the inaugural ceremony inside the Capitol Rotunda due to the approach of bitter cold. It also turns what is typically an hour-long parade down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House into an indoor version at a professional sports arena.
As the ceremony begins, each family’s moving trucks that have been waiting nearby will get the green light which will be transmitted to the White House through enhanced security.
The residence staff works in groups. Some will be responsible for packing the Biden family’s remaining items while another group will load the boxes onto the designated truck. Other staff members will bring the Trumps’ belongings inside while another group unpacks them and places them where Melania Trump wants them.
The White House is deep cleaned between families. Windows will be washed, carpets vacuumed or replaced, new mattresses brought in and all bedrooms and bathrooms will be stocked with fresh linens and towels.
The process typically begins after the November election, when the White House’s chief usher contacts the president-elect’s team to begin coordinating the process.
In November 2016, then-first lady Michelle Obama gave Melania Trump a tour of the living quarters when she accompanied Trump for his Oval Office meeting with then-President Barack Obama.
But after Trump lost re-election in 2020, he broke with tradition and declined to invite then-President-elect Joe Biden to meet. Melania Trump also did not invite Jill Biden to the residence.
This time around, Trump accepted Biden’s invitation to the Oval Office while Melania Trump rejected Jill Biden’s offer to meet with them.
