First granddaughter Naomi Biden, 27, recently got engaged and may use the White House as a wedding venue, first lady Jill Biden hinted in a Sunday interview.
The first lady clarified that Naomi, the daughter of Hunter Biden and Kathleen Buhle Biden, has not yet asked about holding the wedding in the presidential mansion, during an interview with The New York Times published Sunday. If carried out, it would be the first time a member of the first family has been married in the White House since Tricia Nixon, the daughter of President Richard Nixon, in 1971.
While uncommon, wedding ceremonies at the White House are not unheard of. There have been a total of 18 such weddings in U.S. history, with the first taking place in 1812 and the most recent in 2013 between official White House photographer Pete Souza and his wife, Patti Lease, according to the White House Historical Association. There have also been a total of four wedding receptions at the residence. (RELATED: White House Details Why Jill Biden Went To Walter Reed Hospital)
U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden walk on the south lawn of White House on June 27, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
The first lady also explained the long-delayed introduction of a cat to the White House to NYT. The first family first announced that a cat would be moving into the residence in late April, but that has yet to happen.
Biden explained that a series of biting incidents between one of their German Shepherds, Major, and members of the Secret Service made them hesitant to introduce a new animal to the White House. The unnamed cat remains in foster care for the time being.
“The cat is still being fostered with somebody who loves the cat,” Biden said. “I don’t even know whether I can get the cat back at this point.”
The Secret Service filed roughly 36 pages of communications regarding biting or aggression incidents with Major in the opening months of Biden’s presidency.
“At the current rate an Agent or Officer has been bitten every day this week (3/1-3/8) causing damage to attire or bruising/punctures to the skin,” a Secret Service report noted.
“This weekend in Wilmington, there were 3 minor incidents where Major nipped/ brushed up and nudged Shift SAs,” a Protective Division agent noted on March 1, 2021. “Panicking or running with only embolden animals so stand your ground and protect your hands/fingers by placing them in your pockets or behind your back.”
