Muhammad Salman|M10news|21 August 2025
Donald Trump has transformed a private West Wing study into what insiders describe as a personal “gift shop,” stocked with campaign merchandise, luxury goods and memorabilia for visiting leaders and VIPs.
The room — located just steps from the Oval Office and previously used by past presidents for private meetings — has been repurposed with shelves of red “Make America Great Again” hats, $399 golden “Never Surrender” sneakers, Italian designer ties and Bibles bearing the former president’s autograph.
Foreign dignitaries, cabinet members and close allies are reportedly encouraged to take whatever they like. “Fellas, come on, grab what you want.
It’s OK,” Trump told aides to Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev after the signing of a peace agreement with Armenia, according to people present.
Visitors are given paper bags featuring the presidential seal to carry their selections. Sources said the process has become a regular part of White House visits, softening diplomatic departures with a personal flourish.
The existence of the “gift shop” drew fresh attention after Trump presented Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with a “4 More Years” campaign hat during his high-profile visit to Washington this week.
France’s Emmanuel Macron has also been seen leaving the White House with a symbolic “Key to the White House” designed by Trump himself.
The decision to offer political memorabilia alongside state tokens has raised eyebrows in Washington.
Critics argue it blurs the line between official diplomacy and campaign promotion, with one Democratic aide calling it “a misuse of presidential trappings for personal branding.”
Supporters, however, insist the gesture reflects Trump’s style of diplomacy — mixing personal symbolism with statecraft. One Republican strategist said:
“Trump believes relationships are about loyalty and gifts are part of building that bond. He’s a showman, and he wants foreign leaders to leave with something they remember.”
The room’s history adds intrigue. Once a private study, it was infamously linked to Bill Clinton’s affair with Monica Lewinsky in the 1990s. Now, Trump has reimagined the space as a hub of political branding.
The “Key to the White House” — gifted to Aliyev earlier this month — was described by Trump as “a symbol of U.S. leadership.” Analysts say the move highlights Trump’s desire to project American influence in regions traditionally dominated by Russia.
The gift shop is part of broader changes to the White House since Trump returned in January. The Oval Office and Cabinet Room have been refitted with gold accents, while a marble walkway has been added to link the West Wing to the residence.
Plans are underway to turn the East Wing into a ballroom, underscoring Trump’s flair for spectacle.
For now, the study-turned-gift-shop has become one of Washington’s curiosities — a space where diplomacy, politics and branding collide under Trump’s watch.
