Trump ‘AP’ Interview Reveals Mystery Button On The President’s Desk

In a week marking Donald Trump’s 100th day in office as well as the announcement of his long-awaited tax plan, an interview at the White House has provided a surprising insight into the life of the new president. While the latest poll shows Trump’s approval rating hovering around 44 percent – the lowest for a newly elected president in recent memory, an AP interview this week focused instead on a red button on the president’s desk.

Many reporters also visiting the Oval Office this week also found themselves drawn to the button sitting on the Resolute Desk. While interviewing Trump, The Financial Times reporter Demitri Sevastopulo wrote that his eyes were “drawn to a little red button on a box that sits on his desk,” prompting him to joke that the button was the trigger for America’s nuclear arsenal.

“No no, everyone thinks it is. Everyone does get a little nervous when I press that button.”

Trump reportedly then pressed the button, triggering a White House butler to deliver the president a Diet Coke. Associated Press journalist Julie Pace notes that while the button is not a new addition to the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, the haste with which the butlers deliver Diet Cokes to the president speak to the frequency that he requests them. It is believed that the button is actually portable and is able to be moved around the White House so the President can summon his favorite beverage wherever he may be.

Despite maintaining a frosty relationship with much of the press during his first months in office, the lead up to his 100th day in power has seen Trump hold a flurry of interviews at the White House. In what could be seen as defensive behavior for his failure to execute the lofty promises made during the election campaign, Trump now questions the relevance of the 100-day milestone, saying the benchmark is an “artificial barrier” that “isn’t very meaningful,” while continuing to insist that his is a “different kind of presidency.”

Speaking to Reuters this week on how he has handled his first 100 days in office, Trump reminisced on things he missed about his old life, as well as the things the surprised him about being president.

“I loved my previous life. I had so many things going. This is more work than in my previous life. I thought it would be easier.”

News of Trump’s Diet Coke habit comes as no surprise, considering the insights into his diet that have circulated since he threw his hat into the political ring. During a 2016 appearance on Dr. Oz, the show host revealed that the then Republican candidate weighed in at 236 pounds and was roughly 15-20 pounds overweight.

While Trump reportedly doesn’t drink alcohol or smoke, it is his penchant for fried foods and failure to exercise that has some questioning the health of the president. Trump’s social media posts tell us that he favors a diet of fast food – McDonald’s and KFC and reportedly his favorites – which the aide confirms, adding that Trump often requests the fast food is served to him on a silver platter.

Trump’s late night Twitter habits have led some to question when the president finds the time to sleep, an unnamed presidential aide has confirmed to The Independent that Trump runs on a few hours of sleep per night.

According to Trump biographer Michael D’Antonio, Trump’s reasoning for failing to take better care of himself comes down to DNA.

“He really believes in genetic gifts. He wants to assume that he can do something that others can’t do simply because of who he is.”

[Featured Image by Andrew Harnik/AP Images]