Biden called Trump a f***ing a**hole over man ‘toys’ and giant TV screens he added to White House

Joe Biden’s early days at the White House were marked by a feeling of isolation, says a new book

Arpan Rai
Thursday 23 September 2021 15:51 BST
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US president Joe Biden’s early days at the White House were marked by discoveries of what his predecessor left behind in the presidential palace, giving the Democrat leader unpleasant surprises and a sour mood.

These details of Mr Biden’s early days as president were mentioned in Peril, a new book by journalists Bob Woodward and Robert Costa.

The book claimed Mr Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump spent his time at the White House surrounded by “toys,” including a giant video screen.

Trump’s existence permeated the White House, even the residence. One night, Biden wandered into a room where a huge video screen covered the wall,” said an excerpt from the book obtained by ABC News.

Mr Trump used the screen to upload programmes so he could virtually play on the world’s most famous golf courses.

After taking charge of the White House, Mr Biden was once surveying the “toys” purchased by Mr Trump. “What a f****** a******,” Mr Biden allegedly said.

The president also faced discomfort when he moved into the White House, said the book. The isolation brought about by the presidential residence was particularly impactful for Mr Biden, who had to be away from his grandchildren.

“It was lonely. Cold. The virus made social events impossible, at least at the start,” the authors of the book wrote, explaining that Mr Biden preferred relaxing with his grandchildren in Delaware.

Mr Biden also called the White House “the tomb” and likened it to the Waldorf Astoria hotel.

This was a departure from how Mr Trump adjusted during his stay at the White House. He personalised the official accommodation as per his needs, according to other media reports.

Mr Trump had added two extra television sets over and above the one already in his room and asked for personal locks to be installed on his bedroom door, according to a report by Marie Claire magazine.

Mr Trump and his wife Melania also had separate sleeping quarters, becoming the only presidential couple to have done so after the Kennedys.

Apart from the changes introduced in the residential quarters, Mr Trump also revamped the Oval office by introducing sofas from former president George W Bush’s tenure, curtains from Bill Clinton’s tenure and changing the wallpaper, according to the report.

The Trumps also treated the White House residence staff like a “24-hour concierge desk,” claimed another report by the New Yorker magazine.

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