Even if it would be 'good politically,' Trump won't be adopting a dog anytime soon
You'd think President Trump would love to have a golden retriever or orange tabby following him around the White House, but it looks like a first pet won't be joining the Trump family anytime soon.
During his rally Monday in El Paso, Trump acknowledged that people "love" dogs, and said he wouldn't mind having one, "but I don't have any time." Moments later, he admitted that the idea of him walking a dog on the White House lawn "feels a little phony," and while people have urged him to get one because it's "good politically," he has no interest. His daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, supports animal rescues, and ABC News reports she's the one who has been trying to get him to adopt a dog.
The Trumps are the first modern family in the White House to not have any pets. Barack Obama had Bo and Sunny, FDR had Fala, and Richard Nixon had Checkers, and even Trump's beloved Andrew Jackson had a pet parrot named Polly, who attended his funeral in 1845, but was reportedly kicked out because she wouldn't stop squawking profanities.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
He might not want a dog, but Trump is fond of accusing people of behaving like one. When Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) lost the 2012 presidential race, Trump tweeted that he "choked like a dog," and he's mocked "Sloppy Steve Bannon," his former chief strategist, for being "dumped like a dog by almost everyone." Maybe if Trump actually did own a dog, he'd know that they are faithful creatures, and he would never have told actor Robert Pattinson in 2012 that Kristen Stewart "cheated on him like a dog & will do it again — just watch."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
'Many of us have warned for years of a rising ecofascist threat in response to climate chaos'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Is this the end of cigarettes?
Today's Big Question An FDA rule targets nicotine addiction
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
A beginner's guide to exploring the Amazon
The Week Recommends Trek carefully — and respectfully — in the world's largest rainforest
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
Trump starts term with spate of executive orders
Speed Read The president is rolling back many of Joe Biden's climate and immigration policies
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump pardons or commutes all charged Jan. 6 rioters
Speed Read The new president pardoned roughly 1,500 criminal defendants charged with crimes related to the Capitol riot
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Will Trump's 'madman' strategy pay off?
Today's Big Question Incoming US president likes to seem unpredictable but, this time round, world leaders could be wise to his playbook
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
DeSantis appoints Florida's top lawyer to US Senate
Speed Read The state's attorney general, Ashley Moody, will replace Sen. Marco Rubio in the Senate
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Pam Bondi downplays politics at confirmation hearing
Speed Read Trump's pick for attorney general claimed her Justice Department would not prosecute anyone for political reasons
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Biden warns of oligarchy in farewell address
Speed Read The president issued a stark warning about the dangers of unchecked power in the hands of the ultra-wealthy
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Hegseth boosts hopes for confirmation amid grilling
Speed Read The Senate held confirmation hearings for Pete Hegseth, Trump's Defense Secretary nominee
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden removes Cuba from terrorism blacklist
Speed read The move is likely to be reversed by the incoming Trump administration, as it was Trump who first put Cuba on the terrorism blacklist in his first term
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published