A president’s best friend: Does Trump need a dog?
Of all the former presidents, John F. Kennedy stands apart as the one most unlike Donald Trump — and not just for the obvious reasons. One of the most profound differences between the two men lies in the fact that Trump is the first president in 130 years not to have a pet in the White House, while Kennedy brought a historic menagerie that included nine dogs at one point, a cat named Tom Kitten, seven horses, a rabbit named Zsa Zsa, parakeets, hamsters and canaries.
When he was president, Kennedy’s humanity was perhaps best shown through his deep affection for his beloved pets — no matter what their pedigree or personality.
Kennedy hired Traphes Bryant, a White House electrician, to serve as the official kennel keeper. The president met with him almost daily to check on their health, diets and behaviors. As Kennedy’s mother-in-law, Janet Auchincloss, said, “He desperately loved animals.”
The American public saw only glimpses of the many Kennedy pets, most likely because of the way Jacqueline Kennedy zealously guarded her family’s privacy. Behind closed doors in the West Wing, their pets filled the private residence with their raucous enthusiasm, and they also played a role in presidential history.
For example, when the Kennedys met with Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev in Vienna, in June 1961, Khrushchev mentioned that the famous Soviet “space dog,” Strelka, had given birth to puppies. The first lady expressed interest and, a short while later, Pushinka, one of the pups, arrived at the White House. Charlie, a Welsh terrier who was President Kennedy’s favorite dog, became fond of Pushinka, and together they produced four puppies, nicknamed “the pupniks” by JFK. Charlie and Pushinka’s Cold War romance seemed to bridge the divide between the U.S. and the USSR during that period of historic tension.
It is impossible to imagine the nonanimal-loving Trump forging this kind of bond with Kim Jong Un during their standoff, which in many ways parallels the one Kennedy had to navigate.
By not keeping a pet in the White House, Trump is breaking with a presidential tradition that dates back to Thomas Jefferson and his pet mockingbird. Although Kennedy’s menagerie was extraordinary, nearly of all of Trump’s predecessors have brought at least one or two pets to the West Wing.
Barack Obama had two Portuguese water dogs, Bo and Sunny, who often attended White House events and sometimes joined Obama for a jog.
During the Clinton years, Socks the cat and Buddy the dog, a chocolate Labrador retriever, became so popular that Hillary Clinton wrote a book, “Dear Socks, Dear Buddy,” which included more than 50 letters written by children to the two pets.
Barbara Bush also wrote “Millie’s Book,” about the famous English Springer spaniel who lived in the White House with her and President George H.W. Bush. Their son, George W. Bush, was accompanied to the White House by a Scottish terrier named Barney, who starred in YouTube videos on his own website, Barney.gov.
Ronald Reagan had a Cavalier King
Charles spaniel named Rex. The list goes on.
Not only is the Trump White House bereft of any four-legged or feathered friends, the photographs of Trump’s adult sons displaying their trophy kills — including a leopard and other creatures — have raised the ire of animal rights groups, such as the Humane Society. In an unusual move, the Humane Society’s Legislative Fund endorsed Hillary Clinton for president. in a blog on Oct. 5, 2016, written by Michael Markarian, president of the group. The blog also cited Trump’s “team of advisers and financial supporters tied in with trophy hunting, puppy mills, factory farming, horse slaughter, and other abusive industries.”
The antithesis to this spirit was the Kennedy White House, which turned into a haven for animals. Ireland’s President Eamon de Valera sent the Kennedys a Connemara pony named Leprechaun, as well as a black-and-white cocker spaniel named Shannon. A priest in Ireland sent an Irish wolfhound as a gift. The magician Harry Albacker gave Caroline the rabbit Zsa Zsa, who reportedly played the trumpet. The president’s father, Joseph P. Kennedy, gave his son and his family a rambunctious German shepherd named Clipper, who was causing a bit of an uproar in Hyannis Port. Clipper became first lady Jacqueline Kennedy’s constant companion — despite his penchant to eat the ornaments on the White House Christmas tree.
Kennedy imparted his love of animals to his children. When he saw John Jr. pull Clipper’s tail, he instructed him not to, because “dogs are our friends.” John Jr. would grow up to become an ardent dog lover himself.
President Harry S. Truman famously said, “If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog.” Unlike most of the other chief executives, Trump has not sought the loyal, nonjudgmental, companionship of man’s best friend. He has also, perhaps not so coincidentally, failed to match his predecessors’ use of the bully pulpit to teach invaluable lessons in compassion and decency.