The Case Of The Disappearing Air Force One Pillowcases
It's a story that put White House correspondents in the hot seat.
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Subscribe for free to get more stories like this directly to your inboxThe opportunity to grab a celebrity souvenir can be hard to resist — even if you’re a reporter and the celebrity in question is the president of the United States. That fact was on display recently when President Joe Biden flew to the West Coast aboard Air Force One.
Sticky fingers
Journalists frequently accompany the commander-in-chief on these official flights, using the opportunity to pepper him with questions while enjoying the experience of being a passenger on perhaps the most famous jet on the planet.
But sometimes that experience isn’t enough of a memento.
According to reports that surfaced after Biden’s trip in February, a number of items bearing official White House designations were gone upon a post-flight inspection.
Among the items said to be missing were pillowcases, glasses, and plates — almost anything that wasn’t nailed down was fair game.
A stern warning
To some, it might sound relatively innocent … like snagging a notepad from your hotel room’s nightstand. But for the WHCA, this is a big deal.
Reports in the association received an email last month instructing them in no uncertain terms that these petty thefts from Air Force One are inexcusable and need to stop immediately.
Although there have been reports of such pilfering (like disappearing flatware and Air Force One-branded towels) under other administrations, the problem has received more attention lately.
Of course, it’s not like journalists have to resort to a life of crime to collect Air Force One memorabilia. Voice of America White House correspondent Misha Komadovsky proudly displays his collection, which he put together one small piece at a time over the course of several Air Force One trips.
He’s got small items like a paper cup and a box of M&Ms, both of which bear the unmistakable symbol of the president’s plane.
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