Notes on a scandal: why Trump loves to scrawl in marker pen

In January 2017, with the world wondering just how radical a departure the Trump presidency was going to be, people were grasping at any signs of continuity in the Oval Office. “The president, who made his mark bucking tradition during the election, is sticking with a long-standing White House pen supplier,” said one CNN article, breathing a sigh of relief that Trump had ordered 150 Century II black lacquer and gold roller ball pens from AT Cross, the same manufacturer used by former presidents Barack Obama, George W Bush and Bill Clinton.

Yet as the presidency progressed it became clear even the hallowed ballpoint could not be protected. The pen Trump is far more comfortable with is a big black Sharpie.

Yesterday, as he attempted to row back his statements made during his Helsinki summit with Vladimir Putin, Trump’s prepared notes were covered in annotations in marker.

Over typed-up remarks, Trump had written “there was no colusion [sic]” in large capital letters. He also crossed out a line that read “anyone involved in that meddling to justice”, suggesting he didn’t want to go as far as to say the US would take action against Russian interference.

Another paragraph that said some in Washington “don’t want diplomacy” and are in the same mindset “that dragged us into Iraq and Libya” was also crossed out.

Writing notes in thick black pen is nothing if not highly legible, although this has caused problems for Trump in the past. When meeting with parents of gun violence survivors he carried what appeared to be a Sharpie-written note with points on what to ask and how to respond. The final point on the card, “I hear you”, was clearly visible on photographs of the event. Many expressed shock that Trump needed reminding to listen to the parents of dead children.

Trump’s love affair with the Sharpie began long before his ambition to be in the White House. Before he became president he would often scrawl across newspaper articles as a way of communicating. For example, in 1999, he sent Rudy Giuliani a New York Times interview with himself. Scrawled across the print copy, which included praise for Giuliani, was Trump’s Sharpie addition: “Rudy, you’re the greatest, see you soon”.

Graydon Carter, the editor of Vanity Fair, once memorably described Trump as a “short-fingered vulgarian” in a piece published more than three decades ago. He wrote in 2015 that ever since Trump had sent him photos of himself and “on all of them he has circled his hand in gold Sharpie in a valiant effort to highlight the length of his fingers”.

When Trump tweeted a photo in which he claimed to be handwriting his inauguration speech, many were quick to point out he appeared to be holding a closed Sharpie to do so.

Trump continues to use a Sharpie to sign executive orders and mark up drafts of important speeches, reportedly striking through and adding notes like a teacher marking a quiz.

Indeed the Sharpie pen is one of the only items that appears on Trump’s Oval Office desk, which is unusually empty compared with other presidents – none of the 150 pens ordered last year make an appearance.