JAKARTA - A series of leaders of the United States (US) have a unique tradition. Whoever becomes the President of the US, they will take their pets to the White House. Some choose wild animals. There are also those who raise cute animals.

Usually pets are a symbol of the leadership of the US President. No leader of Uncle Sam's country has no pets. Everything changed when Donald Trump became president of the US. He became the first US President to not bring pets into the White House.

The tradition of rulers in various countries has its own pattern. The US, for example. US leaders often take their pets to the White House. This condition was done because many Americans like to care for animals.

At first, this tradition came from the era of the First President, USA, George Washington. He is known to have many dogs. The dogs accompanied him while leading the US. In fact, the portrait of George and his beloved dog inspired other US Presidents to do the same.

Instead of just keeping tame animals, the next US President shows his existence by bringing wild animals to the White House.

The president then began to carry wild animals such as lions, crocodiles, and bears. Theodore Roosevelt, for example. The US President of the 1901-1909 era had many wild animals. He has a hiena called Bill, to a black bear called Jonathan Edwards.

The tradition of possessing wild animals is not without reason. Most US leaders consider pets to be a portrait of their leadership: courage, courage, and greatness. However, the trend has recently changed.

US leaders like to change the image of keeping wild animals to tame animals. They rely a lot on their pets to tame animals such as dogs and cats. Bill Clinton for example. Instead, he took a black and white stray cat called Socks to the White House.

The successors, George W Bush and Barack Obama also brought their favorite dogs. This condition makes their pets a byword and is also loved by the US people.

Barack Obama has two Portuguese air dogs, Bo and Sunny. George W Bush has a Scottish terrier named Barney and Miss Beazley. Bill Clinton has a cat called Socks. John F Kennedy loves his walnut, Robin.

"The US president always keeps pets in the White House. Although, the more we look back, the more vicious the animals are, especially those kept by Republican presidents," Chris Flynn said in his writings on The Guardian website entitled Lions, Tigers and Bears: the US Presidents Who took Animal Ownership to Extremes (2020).

It is possible that all US Presidents have pets. Not a problem tame or wild animals. These animals are ultimately both able to win the hearts of the general public. However, everything changed when Donald Trump became the new President of the United States in the 2017-2021 era.

The mass media also witnessed Trump's moving days to the White House. The sight of the country's leader carrying pets was not found. Trump also confirmed that he had no pets.

The general assembly also considers Trump to have broken the tradition of US leaders having pets. Trump later became the first US President to have no pets at all. Trump also has a reason.

He told it directly to the public at a rally in El Paso, Texas in February 2019. He emphasized that he was fine without pets. He does not feel the presence of pets can increase popularity or represent his image.

Trump just doesn't have time to look after and walk pets. Trump did not deny that he was advised to have a dog. The presence of the animal is thought to be able to make Trump's image fragrant.

However, Trump doesn't want to deceive himself. He remains in his desire not to care for pets. He had no problem with the title of the first US President who had no pets. The decision was not regretted. He thought he didn't want to look fake in front of the US people.

"You guys love dogs, huh? Honestly, I don't mind keeping one, but I don't have time. How do I look if I take the dog for a walk in the White House yard?

"It's not an image I want to build for my people. I don't know, I don't feel good (if I have a pet). It feels a bit fake for me," Donald Trump said as quoted on the Independent website, February 12, 2019.


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