It appears the Resolute Desk has been sidelined — at least for now.
President Donald Trump has removed the iconic piece of furniture from the Oval Office… coincidentally, just a week after Elon Musk’s son, X Æ A-12, left an unforgettable mark on it during a high-profile visit.
X – the four-year-old son of Musk and singer Grimes – became an internet sensation after joining his father and Trump for a press conference at the White House.
During the event, the toddler was caught picking his nose and wiping it on the Resolute Desk, much to the delight of social media users.
Clips of the moment quickly went viral, with social media users also having a field day over what X may have said to the president.
Speculation ran wild, with some believing he muttered, “I want you to shut your mouth up”. Another widely shared theory was that X was caught on a hot mic telling Trump, “You are not the president, you need to go away.”
Despite his antics, the child watched on as the 78-year-old officially granted his father Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) broader powers to reshape the federal government.
Video of the week! US President Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Musk’s son X at the Oval Office. Trump: “This is X. He’s a great guy. A high IQ individual”. X to Trump: “You’re not the President. You need to go away. I want you to shush your mouth. Shut your mouth”. Hilarious?… pic.twitter.com/Gmr15uZ9I8
— Neha Khanna (@nehakhanna_07) February 15, 2025
Now, just days later, Trump has swapped out the historic Resolute Desk for the lesser-known “C&O” desk. The POTUS – who has previously described himself as a germaphobe, per the Daily Mail- insists the change is only temporary while the Resolute Desk undergoes refinishing.
Posting on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “A President, after election, gets a choice of 1 in 7 desks.” He continued, “This desk, the ‘C&O,’ which is also very well known and was used by President George H.W. Bush and others, has been temporarily installed in the White House while the Resolute Desk is being lightly refinished—a very important job.
“This is a beautiful, but temporary replacement!”
The timing of the switch, coming so soon after X’s infamous visit, has led many to wonder if the refinishing decision was spurred by the toddler’s antics. Trump has not addressed any link between the two events but did take time during the viral press conference to praise Musk’s son, calling him a “high-IQ individual.”
The Resolute Desk, one of the most famous pieces of furniture in American history, has been used by eight presidents and was originally gifted to the White House by Queen Victoria in 1880.
It was constructed from the timbers of the HMS Resolute, a British Arctic exploration ship. John F. Kennedy famously used the desk, with an iconic photo showing his son, JFK Jr., playing underneath it.
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Trump also used the desk throughout his first term, as did his predecessor, Barack Obama.
The C&O desk, now temporarily in place, has its own history. Originally crafted in 1920 for the owners of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, it was later donated to the White House. While George H.W. Bush was the only president to use it in the Oval Office, it was previously utilized by Presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan in the West Wing study.
Although social media users were entertained by X’s antics, it appears as if his mother was not.
Grimes responded with concern: “He should not be in public like this. I did not see this, thank u for alerting me. But I’m glad he was polite. Sigh.”
Lil X was very polite today! You raised him well. He was so cute when he told DJT “please forgive me, I need to pee”. 🥰
— 𝕩Simon Wu (@sisisimon) February 12, 2025
This isn’t the first time the ‘Genesis’ musician, whose real name is Claire Boucher, has publically criticized Musk on the social media platform.
Earlier this year, a user called Grimes out for not intervening when Musk publicly showcased their son, to which she openly expressed her frustration.
“I have made it clear I do not approve of that in every conceivable way I know I am. I am desperate to solve it. It is a personal tragedy to me. But currently, I don’t know how to do that,” she wrote on January 10.
And earlier this week, Grimes also took to X to share an urgent plea with Musk regarding their son, writing in a now-deleted tweet: “Plz respond about our child’s medical crisis. I’m sorry to do this publicly but it is no longer acceptable to ignore this situation. This requires immediate attention.”
Grimes and Musk share three children: X Æ A-Xii, Exa Dark Sideræl, and Techno Mechanicus. She did not specify which child is affected or the nature of the medical crisis.
While the official line is that the Resolute Desk is merely being refinished, social media isn’t convinced. Many are joking that X Æ A-12’s “gift” may have led to an early retirement for the desk — at least until it gets a thorough cleaning.
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