‘This was the desk John Kennedy had’: Here’s a peek into the Oval Office at the White House

This in-between time is when every incoming leader selects their furniture and décor, fitting for a house that must feel like home, quickly. For Biden, that meant help from family. “I had asked my brother to help me set up my office… he knows my taste extremely well.”

A replica of the Oval Office in Suburban Maryland helps incoming presidents visualise their choices. “What they do is in Suburban Maryland, there is a facility that is a replica in terms of dimensions of the Oval Office, and so you go out there and pick the furniture and the rugs you want, see what it looks like,” he explained. “I love this rug. I love the colour blue… the rest my brother picked out for me.”

Symbolism plays a big role, too. “I wanted to be able to sit at my desk and look at the two heroes I had—one was Dr. Martin Luther King and the other is Bobby Kennedy,” Biden said. Nearby sits busts of Rosa Parks and César Chávez, icons Biden admires for their social contributions.

“This was the desk John Kennedy had. Remember that famous picture where John John, his son, came out from under the desk?” He showed a touching modern-day parallel: “That’s my grandson Beau coming out from under this desk.”

Family memories are etched into every corner. “This is my daughter Ashley on her wedding day… we’re dancing the father-daughter dance.” Nearby hangs a photo of his late son, Beau Biden, and shelves hold books, gifts, and even a moon rock. “It’s literally a rock from the Moon. Pretty cool.”

Some touches are charming and personal. “This is my 1967 Corvette. My dad didn’t have a lot of money, but he managed a dealership. When I got married, he gave this to me as a gift.”

As Biden walks through the Cabinet Room, he noted its gravity. “It’s almost cathedral-like to me because when we’re in here, we’re talking about things of enormous consequence.” He smiled as he continued: “By the way, there’s a tradition in my office—these chocolate chip cookies are all homemade.”

From command coins to cartoons sent by children, from a portrait of President Kennedy to a private dining room where he once lunched weekly with Barack Obama, Biden’s White House was a place of reflection, memory, and purpose.

“I think of all the incredible things that have happened in this office over the last couple hundred years, and it really is just an incredible honor to be here,” he ended.