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Trump signs proclamation to try to prevent changes to gold-covered Oval Office
The Guardian • • general
Key Points:
- President Donald Trump signed a proclamation declaring the Oval Office and Cabinet Room as national monuments, aiming to prevent future administrations from altering his design of these West Wing spaces.
- Trump emphasized that the rooms would remain untouched and vowed to intervene personally if anyone tried to modify or demolish the renovations.
- Since returning to office, Trump has initiated extensive White House renovations, including demolishing the East Wing for a $600 million ballroom and constructing a permanent granite helipad on the South Lawn.
- The president defended the renovation work by citing years of deterioration to the White House exterior, highlighting repairs to cracked windows, damaged stonework, and exterior columns.
- Trump’s lavish redesign has faced criticism, notably from former President Barack Obama, who mocked the gold-heavy decor, while Trump continues to use the renovations as a political platform amid his party’s recent midterm election defeats.
