The President and The King T Shirt

The meeting between Elvis Presley and President Richard Nixon on December 21, 1970, is one of the most famous yet unconventional moments in U.S. political and pop culture history. Elvis, concerned about the impact of the counterculture movement on America, wrote to Nixon requesting a meeting to discuss his desire to help combat drug abuse and “preserve the country.” Elvis even offered to become a “Federal Agent-at-Large” in the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs.

The two met in the Oval Office, where Elvis presented Nixon with a gift—a Colt .45 pistol—and expressed his patriotic values. Nixon, in return, gave Elvis an honorary badge from the agency. The meeting was informal, somewhat surreal, and has become iconic due to its mix of cultural and political worlds.

Photographs of their encounter are among the National Archives' most requested images, symbolizing a unique blend of celebrity influence and government. It's a fascinating snapshot of the era's complexities and curiosities.