President Donald Trump has temporarily removed the Resolute Desk, an iconic piece of furniture in the Oval Office, for minor renovations.

Announcing the change via social media, Trump stated, "After the election, the president has the right to choose one of seven desks.

This desk, also known as the C&O, used by President George H.W. Bush and others, has been temporarily installed in the White House while the Resolute Desk undergoes simple renovations.

It is a beautiful but temporary alternative."

The Resolute Desk was gifted to President Rutherford B. Hayes by Queen Victoria in 1880. Made from oak wood sourced from the British ship HMS Resolute, it was salvaged from a failed Arctic expedition in the mid-19th century.

The desk has since become a symbol of friendship between the United States and the United Kingdom.

Many U.S. presidents have used the Resolute Desk, starting with Hayes up to Trump, with the exception of George H.W. Bush, who opted for the C&O Desk for a brief period.

Notably, President John F. Kennedy made the desk an icon after a famous photograph captured his son, John F. Kennedy Jr., playing beneath it in 1963.

The desk was first introduced to the Oval Office during President Kennedy's administration, and it has remained largely there since, apart from brief periods when it was displayed in museums or used for other purposes.

In 1945, the presidential seal was added to the desk, enhancing its symbolic value.

During Lyndon Johnson's presidency, the desk was temporarily replaced, but it returned to become a permanent fixture under Jimmy Carter.

Since then, it has been a consistent presence except for the short time George H.W. Bush used the C&O Desk.

In addition to the Resolute Desk, U.S. presidents have other historical desk options, such as:

- The Theodore Roosevelt Desk: Crafted in 1903 and utilized by many presidents, including Harry Truman.

- The Johnson Desk: Specifically made for President Lyndon Johnson and now displayed in his presidential library.

- The Hoover Desk: A gift from the Michigan Furniture Manufacturers Association, it was used by Herbert Hoover and Franklin Roosevelt.

- The Wilson Desk: Employed by Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, it is currently exhibited in the Capitol.

The Resolute Desk is regarded as more than just a piece of furniture; it embodies a long history of diplomatic and presidential relations.

Through its renovation, President Trump underscores the importance of preserving this historical legacy while temporarily utilizing an alternative desk until the renovations are complete.