Alexei Volkov
Former US President Donald Trump had a red button on his desk in the Oval Office, which he used to order a Coca-Cola. Trump enjoyed the confusion this caused, with some visitors assuming it was a nuclear button. Trump even tweeted about the button, saying that it was bigger and more powerful than North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un's. However, the button was simply a call button, similar to those used by previous presidents to summon drinks or aides. Trump's button was installed in a small wooden box and sat on the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To summon a butler to bring a Coke |
| Colour | Red |
| Size | Small |
| Location | On a wooden box on the Resolute desk in the Oval Office |
| Effect | Made people nervous |
| Function | Not nuclear; not related to launching nukes |
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What You'll Learn
Trump's plastic button was used to order Coca-Cola
During his presidency, Donald Trump had a red button on his desk in the Oval Office. This button was housed in a small wooden box, approximately 9 by 3 inches in size, and bore the presidential seal. Contrary to what some may have believed, this button was not used to launch nuclear weapons. Instead, it was a call button, also known as a valet button, that summoned aides to the President. Specifically, Trump used this button to order Coca-Cola, his favourite drink, which would then be brought to him by a butler.
Trump appeared to enjoy the ambiguity surrounding the button's purpose. In an interview with the Financial Times, when journalist Demetri Sevastopulo jokingly asked if it was the nuclear button, Trump replied, "No no, everyone thinks it is," and then proceeded to use the button to order a Diet Coke. He also told Sevastopulo, "Everyone does get a little nervous when I press that button." According to Cliff Sims, a former White House staffer, Trump would sometimes move the box away from himself during meetings, saying, "Don't worry about that. No one wants me to push that button, so we'll just keep it over here. Now, what were you saying?"
Trump even used the button to taunt North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who had claimed that he had a "Nuclear Button" on his desk "at all times." In a provocative tweet, Trump responded, "Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger and more powerful one than his, and my Button works!"
The tradition of having a call button on the President's desk dates back to at least the George W. Bush presidency, and earlier versions of call bells and buzzers have existed in the White House since the early 1800s. The purpose of the button has varied; for example, Lyndon Johnson had a series of keys that he used to summon different drinks, including coffee, tea, Coca-Cola, and Fresca.
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The button was housed in a small wooden box
The wooden box and its button caused some consternation among visitors to the Oval Office. In his book, Team of Vipers, Cliff Sims, a former White House staffer, describes how Trump would play on this fear: "Out of nowhere, he'd suddenly press the button," Sims recalls. Trump himself enjoyed the ruse, saying, "People never know what to think about the red button! Is he launching the nukes?"
The tradition of a call button in the Oval Office has been in place since at least the George W. Bush presidency. Lyndon Johnson had a series of keys, rather than buttons, to summon drinks to various rooms in the White House.
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Trump joked about the button being nuclear
Former US President Donald Trump had a red button on his desk in the Oval Office, which he used to order a butler to bring him a Coke. In two separate interviews, Trump joked about the button being nuclear. When a Financial Times reporter jokingly asked Trump if the button was the nuclear button, he replied, "No no, everyone thinks it is," and then used the button to order a Diet Coke. Trump added, "Everyone does get a little nervous when I press that button."
Trump also used the button to taunt North Korean leader Kim Jong-un about the size of his nuclear arsenal. In a tweet, Trump said, "Will someone from his depleted and food-starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!" Trump enjoyed the ruse, saying, "People never know what to think about the red button! Is he launching the nukes?!" According to Cliff Sims, a former White House staffer, Trump would also play with the button during meetings, moving it farther away from himself and saying, "Don't worry about that. No one wants me to push that button, so we'll just keep it over here. Now, what were you saying?"
The button was housed in a small wooden box, approximately 9 by 3 inches in size, and sat on the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office. The modern version of the call button has been present since at least the George W. Bush presidency. Earlier versions of presidential call bells and buzzers have existed since the early 1800s.
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The button was criticised for being wasteful
During his presidency, Donald Trump had a red button on his desk in the Oval Office, which he used to order a Diet Coke. Trump enjoyed the confusion surrounding the button, which many visitors assumed was a nuclear button. Trump would play along with this assumption, moving the button away from himself and saying, "Don't worry about that. No one wants me to push that button, so we'll just keep it over here. Now, what were you saying?".
Trump also used the button to taunt North Korean leader Kim Jong-un about the size of his nuclear arsenal. In a tweet, Trump stated:
> North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the “Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times. Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!
Trump's tariff policy, for example, was criticised for making imported goods more expensive, including items from Mexico and Canada such as avocados and raspberries. While some argued that this would make cheap imported goods more expensive, critics pointed out that it would disproportionately affect lower-income Americans who spend a greater proportion of their income on basic goods.
Additionally, Trump's support for a globalised food system, as evidenced by his attempts to change Coca-Cola's recipe in the US, was seen as unsustainable and undesirable by environmentalists. They argued that a globalised food system shortchanges domestic workers, underwrites brutal labour regimes abroad, and is morally and environmentally reprehensible.
Overall, the plastic button represented a larger issue of Trump's administration's lack of commitment to environmental sustainability and its potential negative impact on the planet.
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Trump's tariff policy made imported goods more expensive
During his presidency, Donald Trump imposed a series of import taxes on goods from other countries. These import taxes, known as tariffs, were applied to a wide range of products, including steel, aluminium, washing machines, solar panels, and goods from China. The stated goal of these tariffs was to boost American manufacturing and protect jobs by encouraging US consumers to buy more American-made goods.
Trump's tariff policy, however, had the effect of making imported goods more expensive for US consumers and businesses. This is because tariffs are taxes charged on goods bought from other countries, typically a percentage of a product's value. For example, a 10% tariff on a $10 product would result in a $1 tax, bringing the total cost to $11. Companies that import goods into the US are responsible for paying these tariffs to the government, but they often pass some or all of the additional cost on to their customers.
Trump's tariffs impacted a significant amount of trade, affecting more than $380 billion worth of trade at the time of implementation and amounting to a tax increase of nearly $80 billion. The costs of goods manufactured in the US using imported components also increased due to the tariffs. For example, car parts that cross the US, Mexican, and Canadian borders multiple times before a vehicle is assembled became more expensive. Additionally, tighter customs checks at the US border led to delays in the import process.
The impact of Trump's tariff policy was felt across various industries. Toy makers and retailers, for instance, paused orders for the winter holidays as import taxes increased. Mattel, the US toy company, announced that it would raise prices on its toys due to the tariffs. Trump's tariffs on imported auto parts and cars assembled outside the US were also expected to increase the cost of new cars and auto repairs for American consumers.
In response to Trump's tariffs, some countries retaliated with their own tariffs on American goods, further impacting trade and economic growth. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) downgraded its forecast for worldwide growth in 2025, citing the "significant" rise in trade barriers caused by tariffs. Despite criticism from both sides of the political aisle and concerns about the negative economic impact, Trump maintained that his trade policy was effective.
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Frequently asked questions
Trump was referring to a red plastic button on his Oval Office desk, which he used to order Coca-Cola.
Many people, including reporters and visitors, thought the red button was a nuclear button.
Trump played along with the speculation, joking that people got nervous when he pressed the button, and that they wondered what would happen if he pressed it.
Yes, Trump told a reporter from the Financial Times that the button was not a nuclear button and that it was for ordering a Diet Coke.
No, the button's only purpose was to summon a butler to bring Trump a Coca-Cola.
