Fact Check: Did Trump move Resolute Desk from White House to Mar-a-Lago?

WASHINGTON, DC: Viral claims have circulated online alleging that President Donald Trump permanently removed the historic Resolute Desk from the White House and transported it to his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida.

But how much of this claim holds true? Let’s find out.

Claim: Trump moves the Resolute Desk from White House to Mar-a-Lago

The rumor gained traction after a photo circulated online allegedly showing the 19th-century desk displayed inside what appears to be a private residence, cordoned off with velvet ropes, purportedly Mar-a-Lago.

A post by @jkr_on_the_web on X on Tuesday, November 11, included a screenshot from user @erniechiara on Threads. 

The Threads post claimed: “Trump announced in February 2025 he had the Resolute Desk temporarily removed from the Oval Office and replaced it with the C&O desk, which was used by former President George HW Bush. He said at the time the desks were being switched out because the Resolute Desk needed to be ‘lightly refurbished.’ Nine months later, it’s been spotted in a photo taken from inside Mar-a-Lago."

Jurgen “jkr” Kraus shared the screenshot on X with the caption: “Now he stole the Resolute Desk. Can’t make this stuff up.”

Another user reposted the same image, writing: “He stole the Resolute Desk from the Oval Office. Lied that it needed to be refinished… yes, for MAR-A-LAGO!!! PUT IT BACK, Dozy Donnie. It’s ours, not yours.”

Fact Check: Claim unverified, Trump’s official explanation cites refurbishment

The viral claim that President Donald Trump moved the original Resolute Desk from the White House to Mar-a-Lago remains unverified and lacks official support.

In February 2025, Trump announced that the historic desk had been temporarily removed from the Oval Office for “light refurbishment.” However, there has been no official confirmation or evidence suggesting that the actual Resolute Desk was relocated to his private residence in Florida.

Several online observers who analyzed the circulating photo argue that the desk seen in the alleged Mar-a-Lago image is likely a replica, not the original 19th-century piece. Replicas of the Resolute Desk have been produced for decades for museums, exhibits, and private collectors, making it plausible that the viral image shows one of these copies.

Therefore, the photo does not substantiate the claim that Trump took the authentic Resolute Desk from the White House.

History of the Resolute Desk

The desk was made in 1880 from the timbers of the British Arctic exploration ship HMS Resolute, which was given to President Rutherford B Hayes by Queen Victoria as a lasting symbol of friendship.

The piece became one of the most iconic presidential furnishings after John F Kennedy placed it in the Oval Office in 1961, and nearly every subsequent president has chosen to use it.