Trump offers pens to reporters after tax cut bill-signing

Donald Trump offered official bill-signing pens to reporters, photographers and cameramen on Friday in the Oval Office after he signed a tax-cut bill into law.

The pens are usually reserved for members of Congress who worked on a bill the president is inking, but most federal lawmakers had already left Washington for their holiday recess.

‘I have some beautiful pens over here,’ he told the assembled press pool, ‘and because all of these folks are either continuing to work down the road or getting ready to leave – and I’m sure they’ll be working very hard also – I think I’m probably going to hand some of them to the press.’

Anybody want a pen? President Donald Trump offered reporters official signing pens on Friday after he inked his John Hancock on the tax cut bill

Fancy: Eight presentation boxes containing Cross pens bearing the presidential seal and Trump's signature were on the Resolute Desk when reporters came into the Oval Office

Fancy: Eight presentation boxes containing Cross pens bearing the presidential seal and Trump’s signature were on the Resolute Desk when reporters came into the Oval Office

Valuable: One of the same pens is currently on offer from an eBay seller for $1,200

Valuable: One of the same pens is currently on offer from an eBay seller for $1,200

‘Does the media – would any of the media like any of them?’ a playful Trump asked.

‘Oh, look at these camera guys!’ he exclaimed as a few videographers’ eyes lit up.

‘Many of you have worked very hard. Many of you have worked very, very fairly and we really appreciate that,’ the president told the reporters he usually loves to hate.

‘So here you go folks. Do you want the box with it or not?’

‘I particularly like the boom-holders and the cameramen,’ Trump added.

National Economic Council chief Gary Cohn handed out the Cross pen boxes, according to a White House pool report.

Trump said he's especially fond of the technical employees who hold boom microphones like these over his head while he talks

Trump said he’s especially fond of the technical employees who hold boom microphones like these over his head while he talks

The president signed the tax bill into law, and would have given the pens to key members of Congress if they hadn't already left Washington for their holiday recess

The president signed the tax bill into law, and would have given the pens to key members of Congress if they hadn’t already left Washington for their holiday recess

The pens aren’t cheap gifts, and can fetch significant sums online if they’re genuine articles.

One eBay listing available Friday offered one for $1,200. 

‘This very unique pen is not a common presidential gift. It is rare to find one outside of Trump’s inner circle,’ the seller wrote.

There were eight Cross presentation boxes on the Resolute Desk as the president Talked.

Trump’s holiday peace offering to reporters came just hours after he tweeted that ‘the Fake Mainstream Media will NEVER talk about our accomplishments in their end of year reviews.’

It's unclear who among the crush of reporters accepted the presidential peace offering

It’s unclear who among the crush of reporters accepted the presidential peace offering

He also threw a jab at NBC on Friday as he raved about companies that have responded to news of corporate tax cuts by giving their employees holiday bonuses.

‘I want to thank AT&T who actually was the first out of the box, and Boeing and Sinclair and Wells Fargo,’ he said.

‘And Comcast, even though they own NBC which is not so nice to the presidency or the president.’

Trump has bashed NBC more on his Twitter feed than any other TV network – except CNN.

No NBC reporters were in the Oval Office when the president criticized them. 



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