American President Donald Trump once again surprised, on Thursday, with an unusual intervention during a Cabinet meeting, where important topics such as the war in Iran, rising oil prices, and tensions in financial markets were being discussed.
The White House leader interrupted the discussions to extensively recount the story of the Sharpie markers he prefers, presenting it as an example of efficiency in spending public money, as reported by AP.
"See this pen right here? This pen is an interesting example," Trump said, holding in his hand a black marker with gold accents personalized with the White House logo.
The Sharpie moment came in the midst of very serious interventions by high-ranking officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who discussed rocket attacks, Iran's nuclear program, and risks to American troops.
The "1,000-dollar pens" example
However, Trump abruptly stopped all that to tell a little story, supporting the idea that the administration needs to reduce unnecessary expenses.
The President recounted that in the past, the White House used "beautiful" pens that would have cost $1,000 each, which were given as souvenirs when signing laws. "Sometimes you have 30, 40 people," Trump said, explaining that the large number of guests made these gifts costly.
Although known for his preference for opulent things - including the $400 million extended ballroom at the White House - Trump argued that offering such a large number of expensive pens made him feel "guilty by nature."
"I love the government as I love myself, economically speaking. I want to save money," he added.
Trump mentioned that he contacted the Sharpie manufacturer to create a personalized marker for the White House. Although the company would have offered the product for free, the President said he insisted on paying $5 for each marker, considering that the usual price is $1-2.
"The Sharpie boss gets a call. I don't even know who the hell he is. He said, 'Is it really the President?'" Trump recounted, eliciting laughter in the room.
He concluded: "For $5, I get a much better pen than a $1,000 one, and I can give them away. And, honestly, they have become very sought after, so what can I say?"
For decades, when he was a famous businessman, Trump used these pens to sign autographs or annotate newspaper articles, which he sent accompanied by personalized messages written with thick black ink, easily recognizable. And as President, Trump continued to use Sharpie markers to sign executive orders, proclamations, and laws, according to AP.
Sharpie manufacturer, Newell Brands, stated that they have no information about the discussion described by Trump, but emphasized that these markers have been used over time by American presidents and other personalities.