White House Correspondents’ Association journalists have been taking branded goodies from Air Force One, prompting their president to chastise them for their behavior. During recent trips, some journalists have been nabbing items like napkins, matchbooks, playing cards, boxes of M&Ms and Hershey’s Kisses that are emblazoned with a presidential seal and the call sign “Air Force One”. These items are intended to be used during the flight but some journalists have been taking more permanent items like pillowcases, glasses and gold-rimmed dinnerware without permission.
Following a recent trip during which several items went missing, the Air Force took inventory of the plane and found several items missing. The White House Travel Office was alerted and after investigation, the White House Correspondents’ Association president Kelly O’Donnell sent an email to colleagues telling them to refrain from taking items from the plane. Despite amenities on Air Force One not being intended to be free for guests, journalists have been seen taking items meant to be more permanent.
Interestingly, White House staffers are charged for every meal they eat aboard Air Force One including snacks while the gift store sells Air Force One-branded items like mugs, golf balls and jackets among others. However, these taken by journalists are often found for sale on non-governmental websites such as eBay and presidential collectibles sites. In response to this behavior, the White House is now making efforts to stop journalists from taking items from Air Force One without permission in future trips.
