Kamala Harris Continues 100-Year Tradition, Signs Historic Desk Drawer | WATCH

Vice President Kamala Harris carried on a century-old White House tradition on Thursday by signing her ceremonial desk drawer, which is nearly 100 years old. The practice began in the 1940s and has been followed since the Ford administration.

Speaking to former and current staff members in her official office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, Harris thanked them for their commitment. “I’m so proud of our team,” she said, continuing, “We have each taken on a life and a calling that is about doing work in the service of others, and doing it in a way that is fueled—yes, with ambition, yes, with a sense of almost stubbornness about not hearing no and knowing we can make a difference.”

Watch:

Gratefully thanking her team, Harris promised to “keep working on this work we love” and would not commit herself to specific future plans. “I will tell you that everyone here has so much to be proud of, and our work is not done,” she said. “And as you all know me because we have spent long hours, long days, and months and years together, it is not my nature to go quietly into the night, so don’t worry about that.”

Before closing the desk drawer, Harris also reflected on the significance of the tradition. “I stand in a long tradition as the 49th Vice President of the United States—in a long tradition of vice presidents—who have signed this desk, and I do so with great honor and with the knowledge that our work here has mattered. It has meaning. It has impacted people we may never meet, people who may never know our name but who are forever grateful for the work that you each and we all together have done. So I thank you all, and with that, I’m going to pull out this Sharpie.”

Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff captured the historic moment as Harris inscribed her name in the drawer, noting that she had met all her predecessors who signed the desk, except for Presidents Eisenhower and Truman.

During the ceremony, staff shouted “MVP! MVP!” to display their appreciation towards Harris, who ran unsuccessfully against President-elect Donald Trump during the 2024 elections. She will be replaced by JD Vance on January 20.