1776Reporting
President Joe Biden has faced criticism over his use of a staged White House set, and now, Trump aide Alina Habba is pulling back the curtain. In a viral video posted to X, Habba gave her followers a firsthand look at what she called Biden’s “fake Oval Office,” fueling ongoing debates about the president’s public appearances.
Inside the Staged White House
Habba, a senior adviser to former President Donald Trump, walked through the elaborate set used during Biden’s presidency, revealing state-of-the-art lighting, screens, and teleprompters designed to perfect the image of a presidential address.
“We’re in Biden’s fake Oval Office, everybody,” she announced as she sat behind a dark wooden desk, the American flag positioned behind her.
While Habba referred to it as the Oval Office, the setup lacked the familiar look of the historic round room. Instead, it resembled a generic White House-style space, with a blue and white emblem featuring the outline of the White House’s north front.
“I now know why, I now get it,” she said, before gesturing to the person filming to pan the camera around the room.
The footage revealed an auditorium-like setup, complete with theatrical lighting, mounted cameras, teleprompters, and even theater seating—far from the intimate grandeur of the real Oval Office.
Why the Stage Exists
The set, housed inside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building (EEOB), has been used throughout Biden’s presidency, most notably when he received his COVID-19 vaccine on live television. The staged environment, located just across the street from the White House, features artificial windows and a digital display of the Rose Garden in full bloom.
Critics argue the elaborate stage is more than just a polished media setting—it’s a crutch for Biden. Trump’s former senior adviser Stephen Miller suggested the set allows Biden to rely on scripted prompts without the usual teleprompter glare.
“The reason Biden uses this bizarre virtual set for televised meetings—and not an actual room like East Room, Cabinet, Oval, Roosevelt, Sit Room, etc.—is because it allows him to read a script directly from a face-on monitor (& w/out teleprompter glass that can be seen on camera),” Miller tweeted.
This same staged setting was used during Biden’s virtual meeting with world leaders at the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate in June 2022.
Habba’s Final Words
After exposing the stage’s high-tech setup, Habba turned back to the camera with a parting shot at Biden’s leadership.
“All I can say is the last administration was a ‘disgratz,’” she said, using a Trump-style term to mock the president’s tenure.
The revelations about Biden’s use of a staged set continue to raise questions among critics. Is it simply a media tool, or is it a controlled environment designed to mask deeper concerns about his ability to lead? With the 2024 election on the horizon, the debate over authenticity in the White House is far from over.
