Trump interrupts a Cabinet meeting dealing with the Iran war and rising prices to talk Sharpies
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump You can believe the adage that the pen is mightier than the sword – as long as you have a Sharpie.
This issue was discussed at the Cabinet meeting held on Thursday. war in Iranrecord length security lines at many of the country’s top airports, rising oil prices And timid stock marketsThe president interjected, holding up a custom-made black and gold Sharpie and telling a long story about how his pen of choice became a fixture of the White House.
“See this pen here?” “This pen is an interesting example,” Trump said at the beginning of his nearly five-minute discussion of Sharpie.
It was one of many lengthy speeches the president gave during the meeting, and it sometimes felt particularly jarring, given the much more important issues his top advisers were discussing. The Sharpie monologue came after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, envoy Steve Witkoff, Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio made dire comments about missile strikes, Tehran’s uranium enrichment efforts and U.S. troops in danger.
The president presented this convoluted tale as an example of how business savvy can lead to better, cheaper results in federal spending. He was also trying to voice his broader, long-standing criticism. Renovations to the Federal Reserve Building It’s very expensive in Washington.
“We need to set our priorities clearly,” Trump said.
Trump’s anecdote began when he insisted that the White House was once full of “nice” ballpoint pens that cost $1,000 each.
That’s a problem, Trump said, as he handed out souvenir pens during the ceremonial bill signing to lawmakers, supporters and various others who helped make the new legislation possible. Among the recipients were children, whom he complained about not knowing the value of the gift given to them.
“Sometimes there are 30, 40 people,” Trump said.
Although he is known for his love of all things ostentatious – the vast, $400 million White House ballroom demolished the East Wing to build one — Trump said giving away so many expensive items meant “I inherently felt guilty.”
“I love the government just as I love myself economically,” Trump said. “I want to save money.”
The president said he was working with a pen manufacturer and was worried the company was getting too much publicity — but clarified that it was his longtime favorite, Sharpie. A famous businessman for decades, he used his pens to sign autographs or mark newspaper clippings and send them with personalized notes written in thick black ink. And as president, Trump continued to use his pen to sign executive orders, proclamations, and bills.
Trump said he contacted Sharpie and was told they could make a black pen with the White House logo in gold and they wouldn’t charge for it. Trump said he insisted on paying $5 per mark. Online searches reveal that typical Sharpies usually sell for $1 to $2 each.
“I got a call from Sharpie’s president. I don’t even know who he is. ‘Is this really the president?'” Trump said. he said.
This was the most attention the sign had received at the White House since: sharpiegate However, Sharpie’s manufacturer, Atlanta-based Newell Brands, said in a statement that it did not have any information about the dialogue described by Trump, but that Sharpies were used by current and past US presidents, elected officials, celebrities, athletes and artists.
Trump summed it up as “a business story.”
“I get a much better pen for $5 than for $1,000, and I can hand them out,” Trump said. “And frankly they’re hot as a gun, so what can I tell you?”
After completing the Sharpie story, Trump took a moment to savor his own storytelling talents before delivering the floor to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
“Good luck, Scott,” he said as the rest of the cabinet laughed again.
“Well, sir,” said Bessent, “as always, you are a hard act to follow.”
