Because of these first family rules, you won't find the president driving down Pennsylvania Avenue
20 Rules Every First Family Is Supposed to Follow
Updated on Jul. 14, 2025
The president pardons a turkey on Thanksgiving
The U.S. president holds the National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation every year, where they celebrate and spare a turkey from the Thanksgiving table. John F. Kennedy is reportedly the first president to hold this ceremony and rescue a bird.
The first family decorates the White House
Congress only funds part of the decorating process. According to the White House Historical Association, the first family makes up the difference if they overspend on new furnishings. Plus, certain rooms are entirely off-limits for redecorating. The White House Curator helps balance the needs of the first family and the artifacts in the iconic home.
The first lady chooses an interior designer
Melania Trump tapped Tham Kannalikham to redecorate the White House private quarters. Former first lady Michelle Obama went with Los Angeles-based interior designer Michael Smith to decorate the rooms.
The first ladies sit down for tea
The former and future first ladies typically sit together for tea sometime before the change of power. According to CNN, Laura Bush offered Michelle Obama help if she needed it during this meeting, just as Michelle offered her help to Melania Trump.
There should always be a Christmas tree theme
Jackie Kennedy is the first lady who ushered in the White House Christmas tree theme, according to the White House Historical Association. She decorated a tree in the oval Blue Room after Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker” ballet. First lady Melania Trump decided the 2018 theme was “American treasures.”
The first family hosts the Easter Egg Roll
The White House grounds opened to the public for the first Easter Egg Roll in 1878. Since then, presidents have hosted the event on the lawn every year except for a few years during World War II and during a White House construction project, according to the White House Historical Association.
The first family should live in the White House
The White House is the official residence of the First Family. That said, when President Donald Trump came into office during his first term, his son, Barron, and the first lady did not move in until the end of then-11-year-old Barron’s school year.
Windows in the White House remain closed
There is no natural breeze passing through the White House, since the windows must remain closed. Michelle Obama said that she was anticipating finally opening windows for some fresh air after the end of her husband’s time as president.
Presidential pets are a tradition
It’s tradition for the president and his family to have a pet to “soften their image,” according to CNN. Former presidents have had everything from ponies to raccoons, although President Trump has so far not added a pet to the first family during his time in office.
The president must plan their own funeral
In the first two weeks of a new presidency, the president must make arrangements for their own funeral.
The president attends the White House Correspondents’ dinner
It’s tradition for the president to participate in the annual dinner that sponsors journalism scholarships and awards and celebrates the First Amendment. The first presidential attendee was Calvin Coolidge in 1924. President Donald Trump did not attend the event during his first term.
The first family pays for their own food
The president pays for his own groceries at the end of every month. According to the Guardian, that even includes holidays like Thanksgiving. The government only pays for food for official state functions.
The first family pays their move-in bills
The president-elect is responsible for organizing and funding transportation for all the first family’s belongings that are going with them to the White House.
The president can’t decline security
The president, vice president and their immediate family members are all protected by the Secret Service. Only former presidents are allowed to decline protection, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
The president isn’t allowed to drive
Past presidents have gone as far as calling this rule one of the worst parts of being in office. And the restriction doesn’t end when the president’s term ends—former presidents and vice presidents aren’t allowed to operate a car on the open road either, for security reasons.
The president should use a secure phone line
Barack Obama kept his Blackberry phone while in office, but he reportedly only used it for games. There is also a White House-issued cellphone with limited capabilities for security purposes. Obama even turned in his device every 30 days to check for hacking or other suspicious activity.
The first children usually go to private school
In the last century, only former President Jimmy Carter sent his children to Washington, D.C., public schools. President Trump broke tradition by sending Barron Trump to St. Andrew’s in Potomac, Maryland, instead of the popular first family school choice, Sidwell Friends.
The president flies on Air Force One
Every chief executive since Roosevelt has flown on dedicated presidential airplanes. John F. Kennedy, however, was the first president to fly in a jet specifically built for presidential use.
The president always met with the queen
The first president to meet Queen Elizabeth II was Harry Truman. Although Elizabeth wasn’t technically the queen yet, she visited Washington, D.C., on behalf of her father, King George IV.
The first lady usually has a specific cause
The role of the first lady has evolved over the years, thanks to the likes of Eleanor Roosevelt and others who took on responsibilities beyond hostessing. First ladies typically advocate for causes or initiatives they are passionate about, especially during their time in the White House. Michelle Obama, for instance, chose many causes to support, including encouraging healthy eating to solve the epidemic of childhood obesity. Dr. Jill Biden continued her career as a college professor while reviving Joining Forces, an initiative originally started alongside Michelle Obama to support military personnel, veterans and their families.
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Sources:
- CNN: “Trump Family Breaks with Presidential Pet Tradition”
- HuffPost: “Michelle Obama Just Wants to Open Her Windows, Darn It”
- Refinery 29: “Here’s Why Trump’s Family Won’t Move Into the White House”
- The White House Historical Association: “What Is the History of the White House Easter Egg Roll?”
- CBS News: “White House Christmas Decorations 2018”
- The White House Historical Association: “White House Christmas Themes”
- CNN: “Michelle Obama Says Melania Trump Turned Down Her Offer of Help”
- New York Post: “Inside the Obama’s Private Rooms of the White House”
- Us Magazine: “Melania Trump Taps Interior Designer Tham Kannalikham to Redecorate White House Private Quarters”
- The White House Historical Association: “The Curator”
- NBC News: “Presidential Turkey Pardons, Not as Long a History as You Might Think”
- History.com: “Michelle Obama”
- TIME: “Here’s How Every Meeting Between the Queen and a U.S. President Went”
- WhiteHouse.gov: “Air Force One”
- History.com: “Who Was the First President to Fly on Air Force One?”
- Town & Country: “Barron Trump’s New School, St. Andrew’s Episcopal, Started Classes Today”
- NBC News: “Obama Gets to Keep His Blackberry”
- CNBC: “Past Presidents Agree, This Surprising Rule Is One of the Worst Parts of Running the Country”
- Slate: “First Movers”
- The Guardian: “Obama Foots the Bill for White House Thanksgiving”
- Thrillist: “Presidents Pay for Groceries and 14 More White House Food Facts”
- CNN Politics: “Trump Declines to Attend White House Correspondents’ Dinner”
- Elle Decor: “10 Surprising Details About Moving Into the White House”
- Yahoo: “Jill Biden Has Already Announced Her First Initiative as First Lady”
- ABC News: “Jill Biden Could Make History as 1st First Lady to Hold Paid Job Outside the White House”
