What Microphone Does The President Use? It Hasn't Changed Since 1965

In addition to being one of the world's most powerful people, the president of the United States is also one of the most famous. Much of that is due to the power of television, which the president uses to address the nation through speeches, special announcements, and press conferences. So when the president takes the podium, what microphone does he use to carry his message?

The answer is the Shure SM57 dynamic microphone, the microphone of choice since President Lyndon Johnson in 1965. The reason is the SM57's ability to withstand high and low temperatures, as the president often speaks to the nation outside. Not only is the SM57 typically unaffected by the elements, unlike condenser mics — it's also reliable and performs consistently despite the environment.

During a 2016 Shure webinar, the SM57's versatility was pointed out, including how the mic is the go-to choice for musicians. "People sometimes describe it as a workhorse," a company offiical said, "and that's because it's good for so many things, including it's good enough to pick up the voice of the president of the United States."

The first U.S. president to appear on television was Harry Truman in 1947, followed by Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy. But they weren't speaking into the Shure SM57 microphone, as Lyndon Johnson did. Despite the different types of microphones available from then on, every president has used the same model. In fact,  there are many vocal microphones for home studios, but the presidential choice has remained the same. 

However, the setup did change with Donald Trump's first administration in 2017. Trump chose to go with a single mic versus the double mic, which had been a fixture for American presidents, for the most part, up to that point. Joe Biden brought the double-mic setup back during his time in office; Trump returned to the single mic at his 2025 inauguration. Other presidents have chosen different setups over the years as well, including Richard Nixon, who used three mics, and Lyndon Johnson, who used four, though it's not clear if all four of Johnson's were made by Shure.

In any configuration, the SM57 is often hailed for its reliability. And speaking with WAMC Northeast Public Radio, Shure's company historian, Michael Petterson, noted its natural sound and durability, as well as how popular it is with audio experts. "There have been surveys of recording engineers saying if you were on a desert island, and you could only bring one microphone, what would you bring? And almost everybody uses the SM57."