Camp David serves the President, providing the First Family and their guests with a healthy, safe and uniquely private place to work or relax. Established as "Shangri-La" by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, it was subsequently renamed Camp David by Dwight Eisenhower.

During times of conflict and strife, from World War II to more recent events, Camp David has offered solitude and tranquility. A majority of Presidents have used Camp David to host visiting foreign leaders, with Prime Minister Winston Churchill of Great Britain being the first, during May 1943.