Trump Signs Proclamation Protecting Oval Office Decor

Oval Office Proclamation Follows Historic Midterm Defeats

Sitting behind the Resolute Desk in a newly redesigned room, Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Thursday declaring the Oval Office and Cabinet Room national monuments that he said will prevent future administrations from altering his decor. “We’re making it a national monument and it will not be allowed to be touched by anybody,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, according to the Associated Press. The move came just two days after voters threw dozens of Republicans out of office, delivering control of Congress to Democrats following campaigns focused on economic policies and affordability, the Guardian reported.

The president defended his wider renovation work at the White House by pointing to years of exterior deterioration, including cracked windows and damaged stonework that he said he paid to repair. On the desk next to where he signed the proclamation sat a red baseball cap emblazoned with the word “Veto,” serving as an explicit reminder of his threat to block legislative priorities passed by the incoming Democratic-controlled Congress.

Trump declares Oval Office, Cabinet Room a national monument

Renovations Draw Scrutiny Amid Capitol Construction Projects

Since returning to office, Trump has overseen numerous design changes to the West Wing, filling the Oval Office wall space with portraits, a copy of the Declaration of Independence, and numerous golden accents. The opulent redesign has drawn criticism, including from former president Barack Obama, who recently joked that the White House looks like “Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory. Just gold everywhere,” as reported by the Guardian. That remark prompted a response from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who appeared to hit back by dining at a Cheesecake Factory.

Earlier in the week, Trump held a press conference regarding his $14m renovation of the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool, blaming Joe Biden for accumulated algae during the previous administration. Two days after the midterm election losses, the president also led a media tour of the White House Ballroom construction site, where crews are building a $600m ballroom following the demolition of the East Wing.