Strange habits of US presidents as Trump restores Diet Coke button to Oval Office

Donald Trump has already made his mark since his return to one of the world’s most exclusive workplaces.

On top of the slew of executive orders made by the newly appointed president on Monday, the Oval Office received something of a revamp.

Joe Biden’s blue rug was swapped for Trump’s neutral-coloured one as part of a switch from the outgoing president’s belongings to the incoming one’s, and Trump’s infamous red Diet Coke button reportedly was back in place by as early as mid-afternoon on inauguration day.

The button had been inside a wooden box, waiting for the Republican, the Wall Street Journal said, before it was pictured on the right side of the desk hours later as Trump signed a pile of executive orders.

The button debuted during his first administration and the president seemingly continues to enjoy frequently ordering the soft drink.

People have taken to the social media site X to comment on the move many have dubbed “so strange”.

From jelly bean jars to stamp collections, what are some other unusual habits of former US presidents?

A jelly bean jar was practically glued to Ronald Reagan’s desk during his administration and was a more than a whimsical touch – one that symbolised his quitting smoking years before and commitment to individual health.

The 40th president reportedly passed around the sweets at meetings, and also gifted them to foreign ambassadors and dignitaries, as well as sharing them with his staff.

But it was 1966 when the inspiration for President Reagan’s habit began – just before he ran for the governorship of California.

Amid the pressures of leading a nation through world war two, Franklin D Roosevelt reportedly found solace in stamp collecting, and his collection grew as he acquired stamps from dealers or at auctions.

It was a personal hobby that offered the wartime president solace as a polio-stricken adult but was one he also enjoyed as a child. Occasionally, Roosevelt sketched ideas for stamp designs.

John F Kennedy’s ability to read at a rate of 1,200 words a minute (about four times the average) enabled him to quickly digest extensive briefings and literature. He had acquired this skill after enrolling on a speed-reading course.

His wife, Jacqueline, once said: “He read in the strangest way … He’d read walking, he’d read at the table, at meals, he’d read after dinner, he’d read in the bathtub … He really read all the times you don’t think you have time to read … He was always reading – practically while driving a car.”

Lyndon Johnson raised a few eyebrows by his unconventional method of conducting meetings. He would sometimes hold them while driving at high speeds around his ranch, though for many the habit illustrated how he created an environment that spurred open dialogue and quick thinking.

It is hardly surprising that the 36th president became known for his love of cars as a result.

John Quincy Adams was known for his frequent escapades in the Potomac River in Washington DC. It is where he’d retreat to in the morning and swim nude as he believed the ritual possessed health benefits provided by cold water immersion.

It was a practice the sixth president adopted at the age of 50, often during summers, when he would swim in waters which were up to five feet deep.