There are many rules which surround driving. The president is forbidden from driving on public roads. There are also certain cars that the president isn’t allowed to ride in. Although in the past you could see the president riding around in a convertible, that is definitely no longer the case.
Since President John F. Kennedy’s assassination happened when he was in the back seat of a convertible, they have tightened the reigns on the rules. Kennedy reportedly loved riding with the top down. He did it all his adult life, sometimes even in the rain, and when he became president, he saw no reason to end his love affair with the convertible. As president, he believed that security and comfort should take a back seat to the political value of being seen by the people. Convertibles are now highly off limits for any sitting president. Keep reading to see what other rules the first family and the president must adhere to.
The Best Wine
One very cool perk of living in the White House is having any food item you could ever wish for at your disposal. That is, except for one specific item. If you are a wine connoisseur, then you might be disappointed to find out that imported wines are off limits in the White House. The cooks go great distances to assure that all of the food and beverages served in house are from the US.
Imported wines were removed from the White House menus during Ford's administration. It has since become a tradition to keep only wines made in the USA in the White House. Most of the wines make their way from Virginia, Idaho and, of course, California.
Declaring War
The president has an overwhelming amount of power, but, they aren't able to declare war on another country. The constitution gives that power to Congress only. Article I, Section 8, of the U.S. Constitution states “The Congress shall have the power… To declare war…” Meanwhile, Article II, section 2, states “The President shall be commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the United States…”
The last time war was declared on another country was during World War II. Congress has officially declared war on other countries a total of 11 times. The first declaration of war occurred in 1812 against Great Britain. The United States is currently in conflict with a number of countries but has yet to declare war on any of them.
A Budget Just for Decorating
Just because the president can have access to the best interior decorator, it doesn't mean he can go all out with the cost. Presidents have a budget of $100,000 for decorating and anything over that amount will come directly out of their own pockets. The modest Carter family reportedly did use all of the then budget of $50,000.
The Reagans turned down the offer and redecorated with their own money. Meanwhile the Clintons and Obamas spent around the same amount as the Carters, with the Obamas reportedly spending the money out of pocket. But none of those figures comes close to the amount that the Kennedy's spent on a full restoration of the famous house. When considering today's inflation, they spent a reported $16.4 million on revamping the home. The Trumps reportedly spent around $1.75 million on furniture for the White House and offices tied to it. That figure reportedly included $17,000 for custom rugs, $7,000 for “furniture pedestals," and $5,000 worth of wallpaper. It is unclear who paid for what, given the lack of Trump's tax returns.
Interior Design Rules
If you imagine the first family dancing and prancing around the White House wherever their heart pleases and doing what they wish, you are sorely mistaken. There are rooms that even the first family is prohibited from changing. Among the rooms which the First Family can't change are the Oval Office and the Lincoln Bedroom. The White House mirrors more a museum than an actual house. In September 1961, Congress put into place legislation declaring the White House to be a museum. This legislation allowed the President to declare furniture, fixtures, and decorative arts as historic or of artistic interest. This prevented the items from being sold (as many objects in the mansion had been in the past 150 years). When the items aren't in use or on display at the White House, they are handed over to the Smithsonian Institution for preservation, study, storage, or exhibition. The White House exercises the right to have these items returned.
Some decoration changes require the approval by the historical committee that oversees the White House, the Committee for the Preservation of the White House. This committee is responsible for maintaining the historical integrity of the White House. They work with each First Family, usually represented by the First Lady, the White House Curator, and the Chief Usher, to carry out the family's proposals for making changes in the home. The First Family is free to make decoration changes on the second and third floors as they wish. These are the private quarters and they include more than a dozen rooms over two floors. The First Family can bring in their own furniture, bedding, rugs, and decorations. Plus, they can repaint the walls.