Typically, the president’s family members aren’t supposed to get any formal roles in the White House administration. This should be a no-brainer because when people close to the Commander in Chief, especially family members, take on jobs in the Oval Office, the public usually views it as a classic case of nepotism. Not to mention, it mixes business with one’s personal life, and that is something that should be avoided.
This unspoken rule was bent when President Trump appointed his daughter, Ivanka Trump, as his assistant and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as his senior advisor. Although it is not illegal per se, that move was still frowned upon by many.
The Presidential Taster
The serving president is not allowed to eat anything outside of the office without their designated taster trying it first. While having a taste tester may seem like a pretty cool perk, it’s not all that it’s made out to be. The taste tester isn’t there to make sure that the food tastes the best, but more so to check for any dangers, like poison.
On one occasion in 2013, during a lunch meeting with Senate Republicans, President Obama didn’t have his taster nearby. Could he just dig in with the rest of the guests? Nope! Instead, he had to sit there with his delicious meal staring at him.
No Copyright!
If the president writes a book, memoir, or something that requires publishing during his time in office, which is highly unlikely as the leader of the free world, he wouldn’t be able to secure a copyright.
The US copyright laws state that any work created by a federal government employee, including the president, while in office, is considered public domain. Meaning, anything unclassified that the president says, writes, or does is free for anyone to use and repurpose.
An Obligation to Preserve History
You could say that living in the White House is kind of like living in a museum. Especially with all of the "do not touch" stuff everywhere. When the First Families move in they are encouraged to make their new living space feel like home but at the same time, they are obligated to preserve the special collections inside the White House...such as the famous grand piano, sculptures and various signature artworks that decorate its walls.
There are even certain rooms that the first family is not allowed entry. There’s also a White House curator that's in charge of making sure each first family cares for the house's treasures, and the younger the first children are, the more that they are watched but most importantly they are taught very early on that they need to respect the history.
Utilities are on the House
While living in the white house, the first family isn't responsible for paying the utility bills but they are; however; unlike what most people believe, they don’t just live off the taxpayer’s dollars. They are responsible for financing their food, toiletries, dry cleaning, and other personal items and services like the average American.
So as the old saying goes, "there’s no such things as a free lunch", not even for the First Family. Fun fact: the White House kitchen staff has its own official Instagram page, just in case you're curious about what they’re cooking for the White House staff and the First Family.