Trump Shares Story About His Favorite Sharpie Marker

As president, Trump has continued using Sharpie markers to sign executive orders, proclamations, and laws. Trump recounted that he contacted Sharpie and they said they could make a black marker with the White House logo in gold and would not charge him for it. Trump pointed out that he insisted on paying 5 dollars for the marker. 'Is that really the president?' he relayed Trump saying. A marker had not received so much attention in the White House since the 'Sharpiegate' scandal related to Hurricane 'Dorian' during Trump's first term. Even so, Sharpie's manufacturer, Newell Brands--based in Atlanta--stated in a press release that it had no information about the conversation Trump described, but that current and former U.S. presidents, elected officials, celebrities, athletes, and artists, among others, use the brand's markers. Trump summarized it as 'a business story'. 'For 5 dollars, I get a much better pen than for a thousand, and I can give them out,' said Trump. 'I want to save money'. How did Trump get Sharpie to make him a customized marker? The president said he worked with a pen manufacturer and was concerned about giving too much publicity to the company involved, only to later reveal it was Sharpie, one of his longtime favorites. As a well-known businessman, he had used these markers for decades to sign autographs or to underline newspaper clippings and send them with personalized notes written in the brand's characteristic black ink. President Donald Trump may be a firm believer in the adage that 'the pen is mightier than the sword,' as long as it's a Sharpie brand marker. The president interrupted a cabinet meeting on Thursday that was discussing the war with Iran, the long lines at security checkpoints at many of the country's major airports, the rise in oil prices, and the unease in the stock markets to hold up a black and gold customized Sharpie marker and offer a long story about how his favorite pen came to be an indispensable item in the White House. 'See this pen?' Trump asked at the start of a rambling five-minute diatribe about his Sharpie pen. 'This pen is an interesting example'. It was one of several lengthy asides the president made during the meeting, which were particularly irritating at moments, considering the number of relevant issues he could have addressed with his top advisors. What did Trump say about his Sharpie pen? The monologue about the Sharpie came after Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, special envoy Steve Witkoff, Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio painted a grim picture of missile attacks, Tehran's uranium enrichment efforts, and U.S. troops still in danger. The president presented his tangled narrative as an example of how his business sense can lead to better and cheaper results for federal spending. He was also seeking to bolster his long-standing criticism that renovations to the Federal Reserve building in Washington are too costly. 'We have to set our priorities,' the head of state affirmed. 'I love the government as I love myself'. Trump's story began with his insistence that the White House once had 'beautiful' pens that cost a thousand dollars each. That posed a problem, Trump explained, because during bill-signing ceremonies, he gave pens as mementos to lawmakers, supporters, and others who facilitated the new measure. There were even children, whom he lamented did not know the value of the gift. 'Sometimes you have 30, 40 people,' commented Trump. Despite being known for his love of ostentation--including the $400 million White House party hall he ordered built after demolishing the East Wing--Trump maintained that 'I feel guilty by nature' about giving away so many expensive pens. 'Economically, I love the government as I love myself,' he declared. 'And, honestly, they've become fashionable, so what can I tell you?' After concluding his story about his Sharpie pen, Trump took a moment to revel in his own storytelling ability before yielding the floor to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. 'Good luck, Scott,' he said as the rest of the cabinet burst into laughter again. 'Well, sir,' Bessent replied, 'as always, it's hard to follow you'. Internet searches show that typical Sharpies usually sell for between 1 and 2 dollars each. 'The head of Sharpie gets a call. I don't even know who the hell that is'.