WASHINGTON — In the middle of a Cabinet meeting focused on Iran conflict developments, airport security delays, and volatile markets, President Donald Trump took an unexpected detour to discuss his favorite writing instrument.
The president launched into a detailed five-minute explanation about his specially designed black and gold Sharpie markers during Thursday’s meeting, which had been addressing serious national security matters.
“See this pen right here?” Trump asked, displaying the custom marker. “This pen is an interesting example.”
The marker discussion followed grave updates from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, envoy Steve Witkoff, Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio regarding missile attacks, Tehran’s nuclear activities, and American military personnel in dangerous situations.
Trump used the marker story to illustrate his approach to reducing government expenses, while also criticizing costly Federal Reserve Building renovations in Washington.
“We’ve gotta get our priorities straight,” Trump stated.
The president claimed the White House previously used expensive ballpoint pens costing $1,000 each for ceremonial bill signings, where he would distribute them as mementos to legislators, supporters, and others involved in creating new laws.
“Sometimes you have 30, 40 people,” Trump explained.
Despite his reputation for luxury — including constructing a $400 million White House ballroom that required demolishing part of the East Wing — Trump said distributing costly pens made him uncomfortable.
“I feel guilty by nature,” he said. “I love the government like I love myself, economically. I want to save money.”
Trump described reaching out to the marker company, initially trying to avoid naming them before revealing it was Sharpie, his long-preferred brand for autographs and marking up news articles with handwritten notes in distinctive black ink.
According to Trump, Sharpie offered to create black markers with gold White House logos at no charge, but he insisted on paying $5 per pen. Standard Sharpies typically retail for $1 to $2 each.
“The head of Sharpie gets a call. I don’t even know who the hell he is. He said, ‘Is this really the president?’” Trump recounted.
This marked the most White House attention for the markers since the “Sharpiegate” controversy during Hurricane Dorian in Trump’s previous presidency. Atlanta-based Newell Brands, which manufactures Sharpies, stated they had no record of the conversation Trump described, noting that their products are used by current and former presidents, officials, celebrities, athletes, and artists.
Trump characterized his account as “a business story.”
“For $5, I get a much better pen than for $1,000, and I can hand them out,” Trump said. “And, honestly, they’ve become hot as a pistol, so what can I tell you?”
Following his marker narrative, Trump acknowledged his own storytelling before turning to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
“Good luck, Scott,” he said as Cabinet members chuckled.
“Well, sir,” Bessent responded, “as usual, you’re a tough act to follow.”
