Former White House Chief Usher Reveals Secrets of Table Tennis, Trump's Ballroom, and the Time He Gave Nancy Reagan a Bill

Gary Walters, the longest-serving chief usher of the White House, has spent decades immersed in the daily life of the presidential family. From the toothpaste they use to the mattress they sleep on, he knows it all. Now, as he prepares to release his new book, “White House Memories: Recollections of the Longest-Serving Chief Usher,” Walters is sharing insights into his remarkable career.

Walters, who worked at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. from 1970 to 2007, took on the role of chief usher in 1986 after a career with the Secret Service. His responsibilities included ensuring the comfort and well-being of the first family, coordinating events, and preserving the historical integrity of the White House.

The chief usher’s role is multifaceted. According to Walters, it involves three main areas:
Taking care of the first family’s day-to-day needs
Coordinating presidential events on the grounds and in the executive mansion
* Protecting the museum-quality aspects of the White House in collaboration with the curator’s office

Ushers serve as both employees and trusted friends to the presidents. They handle mundane tasks so that the leaders can focus on their duties. This includes things like presenting bills for personal expenses, which Walters did monthly for the first family.

“I present the family with their bill for the previous month,” Walters said. “Mrs. Reagan once asked, ‘I have to pay for this?’ I told her, ‘Yes, ma’am.’ That’s the way the history is, you pay for your personal meals, and any supplies, dry cleaning or anything.’”

Beyond financial matters, Walters also took on unexpected roles. During Jimmy Carter’s presidency, he was tasked with placing a table-tennis table on top of a billiard table in the residence so that the president could play with his sons.

“One day I got a call from the president. He said, ‘Gary, do you know of anybody that likes to play table tennis?’ I said, ‘Well, sir, I do.’ He asked, ‘Would you mind playing Ping-Pong with me?’ So I ended up playing Ping-Pong with the president.”

Walters recalled how he wondered whether to play hard or back off. “I found out he’s pretty darn good,” he said.

As chief usher, Walters had an intimate understanding of the first family’s private lives. When a new family moved into the White House, he would ask about their preferences: what kind of toothpaste, sheets, and mattress they wanted.

When asked about sensitive topics, Walters relied on advice from a first lady. “Mrs. Reagan taught me that: ‘Just say no.’ And I use that quite frequently,” he said.

Walters was most surprised by President Reagan’s public image versus the reality. “So many people thought he was just an actor, but he was the same person every day,” he said.

He shared a story about Reagan walking through the White House after returning from a trip. “He got halfway down the hall, stopped, left his aides there, turned around, came back up the hall, and there’s a police officer that sits right inside those doors,” Walters said. “The president went back to that officer and said, ‘I didn’t even acknowledge you when I walked past and I’m sorry.’”

A busy time for Walters and the 90-person executive residence staff was always ahead of state dinners. The White House has faced challenges in hosting large events due to limited space. President Trump recently ordered the demolition of the East Wing to build a $300 million ballroom.

“The White House rooms didn’t accommodate the numbers that the presidency wanted,” Walters said. “During President Clinton’s administration, we constantly put up tents, taking down tents.”

While some critics have opposed the East Wing’s destruction, Walters noted that similar changes have occurred before. “In 1902 when the West Wing was built, there were huge conservatories on the west side of the house that were torn down. Nobody mentions that.”

Walters’ book, written after encouragement from the White House Historical Association, is not political. “I worked for Republicans and Democrats. It didn’t matter. I worked for the presidency,” he said.

He emphasized his commitment to supporting the president and first lady regardless of their political views. “My responsibility was to just be in support of the president who was in that position, the presidency. And I had to do what I could to make their life a little simpler.”

Walters hopes his book will change perceptions of the White House. “The White House has become, when people hear that, they think political. I think the White House, I think home.”