Aspen Lodge: President Biden's cabin at Camp David
2021 VISITS
Feb 12-15
President Biden spends his first weekend at Camp David with his family since taking office. Before leaving, he said that he planned to "just hang out with the family and do what we always do". On Saturday night, he played Mario Kart with his granddaughter Naomi.
Mitch McConnell outside the Red Oak cabin in 1992 (Photo: National Archives - Shawn T. Moore )
The Red Oak cabin is one of the "VIP guest cabins" along with Birch, Dogwood, and Maple. It was one of the original cabins and was rebuilt in 1973. During the 1978 Camp David peace negotiations, Israeli Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan shared the two-bedroom cabin with three other Israeli officials.
In 2012, German Chancellor Angela Merkel stayed at the Red Oak cabin during the G8 Summit. Although the cabin assignments for the G8 Summit were never publicly announced, several months of online sleuthing and an FOIA request resulted in my blog post detailing the cabin assignments for all of the G8 leaders.
The photos on this page were taken during a visit to Camp David in 1992 by the current Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao.
Bedroom inside Camp David cabin - 1992 (Photo: National Archives - Shawn T. Moore )
Interior of Camp David cabin - 1992 (Photo: National Archives - Shawn T. Moore )
May 1 - 3
President Trump met with Administration officials at Camp David.
May 15 - 17
President Trump holds meetings at Camp David. In attendance: Kevin McCarthy, Mark Meadows, GOP Reps. Dan Crenshaw (Texas), Matt Gaetz (Fla.), Devin Nunes (Calif.), Jim Jordan (Ohio),
Elise Stefanik (N.Y.) and Lee Zeldin (N.Y.).
November 27 - 29
President Trump spends the weekend at Camp David.
2019 VISITS
January 6
President Trump met with White House senior staff to discuss the administration's priorities for 2019.
June 22-23
President Trump met with his aides at Camp David over the weekend.
August 30 - Sept 1
President Trump went to Camp David for the weekend.
October 25-26
President Trump went to Camp David for Jared and Ivanka's 10th wedding anniversary party.
President Trump and Senator Rick Scott - 8/31/19
President Trump, Senator Scott, and senior staff at Hurricane Dorian FEMA briefing in Laurel Lodge - 8/31/19
2018 VISITS
January 5-7
President Trump met with GOP congressional leaders and members of his Cabinet to discuss 2018 legislative priorities.
President Trump meeting with congressional leaders in the Laurel Lodge - 1/5/18
Waiting for dinner to be served in Laurel Lodge - 1/5/18
President Trump at a news conference held in the hangar at Camp David - 1/6/18
June 1-3
President Trump spent the weekend at Camp David with some of his family: Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, Donald Trump Jr., and Tiffany Trump. Heavy rain in the Washington area forced the president to return to the White House on Sunday afternoon via a 90-minute motorcade ride.
2017 VISITS
June 17-18
On June 17, 2017, President Trump became the 14th president to visit Camp David. The president, first lady, and son Barron stayed overnight in the Aspen Lodge and returned to the White House on Sunday afternoon. Melania's parents accompanied the First Family on the Father's Day weekend trip.
August 18
President Trump returned to the presidential retreat on August 18th for a national security meeting on the Afghanistan strategy.
President Trump and Vice President Pence outside Laurel Lodge.
National security meeting held in Laurel Lodge on Aug 18, 2017
August 25-27
On August 25th, President Trump's daughter Ivanka, son-in-law Jared Kushner and grandchildren Arabella, Theodore and Joseph joined the First Family for a weekend trip to Camp David.
President Trump receiving an update on Hurricane Harvey via video teleconference on August 26, 2017
President Trump in a follow-up videoconference on Hurricane Harvey on August 27, 2017 in Laurel Lodge
September 8-10
President Trump spent the weekend of Sept 8-10 at Camp David and hosted a full Cabinet meeting on Saturday, September 9th.
President Trump receives briefing on Hurricane Irma - Sept 10, 2017
December 16-17
President Trump spent the weekend of Dec 16-17 at Camp David and met with some members of his Cabinet: VP Pence, Sec. Shulkin, Dir. Mulvaney, Sec. Mnuchin, Sec. Carson, and Sec. Perdue.
DATES OF TRUMP TRIPS TO CAMP DAVID
2017: June 17-18; August 18; August 25-27; September 8-10; December 16-17 2018: January 5-7; June 1-3 2019: January 6; June 22-23; August 30 - Sept 1; October 25-26 2020: May 1-3; May 15-17; November 27-29
As of November 29, 2020 Total number of visits: 14 Total number of days at Camp David: 34
There is a new Camp David recruiting video featuring NSF Thurmont Commander Jeff Deviney that was produced in 2015. The previous video featured Commander Russell Rang, who transferred to Naval Construction Group One as Chief Staff Officer in July 2015.
President Nixon looks out the window from inside the Aspen Lodge - Nov 22, 1972 (Nixon Library)
One of President Nixon's most notable contributions to Camp David is the swimming pool outside the Aspen Lodge. The existing swimming pool, which was built in the FDR era, was located on the other side of the retreat near the staff area. President Nixon wanted a new pool located in front of the Aspen terrace. This also happened to be the location of the underground bomb shelter which then had to be reinforced for an additional cost of $260K. The new pool cost around $240K, partly because the design called for matching the stone from the Aspen Lodge terrace, which required reopening the nearby quarry. The 40ft x 20ft pool was superheated so it could be used by President Nixon during the winter.
President Nixon added this swimming pool to Camp David
President Nixon visited Camp David frequently and held many high-level meetings there. "I find that up there on top of the mountain, it is easier for me to get on top of the job" he once told reporters. Nixon visited the presidential retreat over 150 times. You can read about the details of his trips to Camp David in the Nixon Daily Diaries.
Under a 1970 master plan for Camp David, most of the FDR-era cabins were replaced and a new Laurel Lodge was built, which included a presidential office. A study was added to the Aspen Lodge and the screened porch was converted to a dining room. The Aspen bomb shelter was also redecorated with new beds, paint and furnishings.
President Nixon meets with his economic advisers in Augsut 1971
President and First Lady Pat Nixon in Aspen Lodge at Christmas time in 1971 (Nixon Library)
Nativity scene at Camp David (Nixon Library)
Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger, President Nixon, Maj. Gen. Alexander M. Haig Jr. discuss the Vietnam situation - 11/13/72
Nixon seated with Deputy Secy of Defense William P. Clements, Jr. in Aspen Lodge. 11/22/72
President Nixon meets with his UN Ambassador George H.W. Bush in the Aspen Lodge in 1972
Nixon wearing his leather Camp David Jacket 12/11/71; Nixon at Camp David 8/18/72 (White House photos)
In 1973, President Nixon invited Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev to Camp David as part of his first visit to the United States. Nixon gave the Soviet leader a 1973 Lincoln Continental as a welcome gift. According to Nixon's memoirs:
"He got behind the wheel and motioned me into the passenger seat. The head of my Secret Service detail went pale as I climbed in and we took off down one of the narrow roads that run around the perimeter of Camp David.... At one point there is a very steep slope with a sign at the top reading, 'Slow, dangerous curve'.... Brezhnev was driving more than 50 miles an hour as we approached the slope. I reached over and said, 'Slow down, slow down,' but he paid no attention. When we reached the bottom there was a squeal of rubber as he slammed on the breaks and made the turn.... 'You are an excellent driver,' I replied. 'I would never have been able to make that turn at the speed at which we were traveling.'"
President Nixon with Soviet President Brezhnev next to the Aspen pond in June 1973
President Nixon presents Leonid Brezhnev with a 1973 Lincoln Continental in front of the Laurel Lodge
Former First Lady Mamie Eisenhower celebrates her 77th birthday at Camp David in the Aspen Lodge with Julie Nixon Eisenhower, David Eisenhower, and the President and First Lady - 11/10/73 (AP photo)
The Wye Oak fitness center offers a broad range of exercise equipment including cardiovascular machines and free weights for strength training. When President Obama hosted the G8 Summit at Camp David in 2012, he invited British Prime Minister David Cameron to work out with him at the gym where they reportedly chatted side-by-side on the treadmills. In addition to the exercise equipment, the retreat's fitness center also has an indoor pool and basketball court.
President Reagan at the Wye Oak fitness Center
Indoor pool at the Camp David fitness center
Captain's Cup Dodge Ball at Leatherwood Court at Camp David
Camp David, officially known as Naval Support Facility (NSF) Thurmont, is an active Navy base staffed by Navy and Marine personnel. A recruiting team from Camp David travels to various Naval facilities to search for sailors qualified to work at the presidential retreat.
One of the original purposes of the fish pond built in front of the Aspen Lodge was to provide a nearby water source in the event of a fire at the President's cabin. Over the years, there have been a number of fires at Camp David. In 1959, the White Pine maintenance building was destroyed in a fire. It was later rebuilt and contains a carpenter shop and a plumbing shop. In 1969, a fire in President Nixon's small office in the Maple cabin broke out when someone tried to thaw out a frozen water pipe.
Camp David now has a full-time professional fire department responsible for protecting 130 facilities at the retreat with many of the buildings being historical wooden structures with fireplaces inside.
Identified significant equipment shortages on all firefighting apparatus and brought the equipment up to highest standards required for POTUS support.
Commanded the crash crew for all POTUS flight operations
Developed the plan to transition from the existing, mostly collateral-duty fire brigade concept to a full-time professional fire department with aviation and damage control rated personnel.
Identified training requirements for inbound personnel being reassigned to Camp David allowing members to receive Fire Fighter II, ARFF, and Hazardous Materials training prior to reporting for duty.
Implemented a robust training program, created and maintained 13 training records for U.S. Navy Firefighters.
Supervised and led 15 Presidential helicopter arrivals and departures which included 75 helicopter training touch and go’s for HMX-1 Helicopter Squadron, H-1’s, H-3’s, SH-60’s, H-46’s, and H-53’s with zero mishaps.
Led the Command’s duty fire brigade in structural firefighting operations, aircraft crash and salvage procedures, hazardous material operations and CBRN operations.
Established the development and implementation of 42 maintenance shops and guest facility emergency action plans reducing fire department response times by 50 percent.
Camp David Fire Department Challenge Coin
Camp David has entered into a Mutual Aid Memorandum of Agreement with Frederick County Maryland for mutual aid in fire prevention, protection of life and property from fire, firefighting, rescue, and hazardous materials response. This agreement defines the rules for requesting and receiving aid in fighting fires at Camp David and in Frederick County.
Vice President Cheney, Lynne Cheney and I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby Aboard Marine Two on September 11, 2001
In response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, the National Archives released a collection of photos of Vice President Dick Cheney on September 11, 2001. The photos show Cheney watching television footage of the World Trade Center attack in his office and meeting with senior members of the administration in the PEOC bunker six stories beneath the White House before heading off to Camp David aboard Marine Two.
The Cheneys arrive at Camp David on September 11, 2001
Vice President Dick Cheney in Laurel Lodge at Camp David on September 11, 2001
