Trump declares Oval Office and Cabinet Room national monuments to block future changes
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Thursday declaring the Oval Office and Cabinet Room national monuments, saying the designation would prevent future presidents from altering the spaces he has redesigned with gold accents, portraits and other changes. The order calls for the National Park Service to maintain the Oval Office but states it does not restrict a president's authority to redecorate, select furnishings or make ordinary operational and security modifications. Preservation lawyer Greg Werkheiser told the BBC the designation is legally meaningless for decor, which remains at the president's discretion, and accused the administration of undermining preservation law elsewhere in Washington. The signing came two days after Democrats won control of Congress in midterm elections.
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Trump signs order declaring Oval Office a national monument to block future changes
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring the Oval Office and some surrounding White House rooms a national monument, aiming to prevent future presidents from making certain changes to the space. Trump, who has added numerous gold features to the office during his second term, said the designation would stop it from being 'destroyed, ripped down by stupid people.' The order states it does not restrict a president's authority to redecorate, select furnishings, or make ordinary operational and security modifications that do not substantially impair the monument's historic structure or architectural character. The Oval Office is to be maintained by the National Park Service. Preservation lawyer Greg Werkheiser told the BBC that furniture and decor remain at the president's discretion and argued the administration has shown disregard for other historic sites, citing lawsuits over projects including the Kennedy Center renovation and a proposed triumphal arch.
Read sourceTrump Signs Order Declaring Oval Office a National Monument to Block Future Changes
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring the Oval Office and some surrounding rooms a national monument, aiming to prevent future presidents from making certain changes to the space. Trump, who has added numerous gold features to the office during his second term, told reporters the office would be protected from being 'destroyed, ripped down by stupid people.' The order states it does not restrict a president's authority to redecorate, select furnishings, or make ordinary operational and security modifications that do not substantially impair the monument's historic structure or architectural character. It calls for the National Park Service to maintain the office. Preservation lawyer Greg Werkheiser told the BBC that furniture and decor are already at the president's discretion, and argued the administration has shown disregard for other historic sites in Washington, citing renovation projects and lawsuits. The order follows Trump's broader beautification projects in Washington and Democratic criticism of his redesigns.
Read sourceTrump Signs Proclamation Declaring Gold-Covered Oval Office a National Monument
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Thursday declaring the Oval Office and Cabinet Room national monuments, aiming to prevent future administrations from altering his gold-heavy redesign. Speaking from behind the Resolute Desk, Trump said the move would stop the rooms from being 'ripped down by stupid people' and that he would return to protect them if anyone tried to knock down walls. The proclamation follows his broader White House renovation projects, including a $600m ballroom replacing the East Wing and a new South Lawn helipad. The signing came days after Democrats made significant midterm election gains and secured control of Congress; a red 'Veto' baseball cap sat on the desk beside him. Trump's opulent redesign has drawn criticism, including from Barack Obama, who joked the White House looked like 'Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory.'
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Trump signs proclamation making Oval Office and Cabinet Room national monuments
President Trump signed a proclamation designating the Oval Office and Cabinet Room as national monuments, according to reports from The Hill, AP News, Reuters, and other outlets. The move is described as an effort to prevent future changes to the spaces, though AP News notes that future presidents can still redecorate. The New York Post reported that the proclamation aims to keep the Oval Office from becoming a square, while the fate of Trump's gilded remodel remains uncertain. The Seattle Times reported that Trump says the proclamation will prevent future changes to the Oval Office and Cabinet Room. The designation elevates the rooms' status but does not appear to impose binding restrictions on future presidents' decor choices.
Read sourceTrump Signs Proclamation Declaring Oval Office and Cabinet Room National Landmarks
President Trump signed a proclamation declaring the Oval Office and Cabinet Room national landmarks, describing it as his first post-election executive action aimed at preserving changes he made to the spaces and preventing future alterations. Multiple outlets, including Politico, PBS, CNN, Yahoo, and The Washington Post, reported that Trump said the designation would stop anyone from 'destroying' the rooms. The move is framed by Trump as a protective measure for the presidential workspace, though the reports do not detail the legal mechanism or any immediate practical effect.
Read sourceTrump signs proclamation declaring Oval Office and Cabinet Room national monument
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Thursday that he said will prevent future changes to the Oval Office and Cabinet Room, which he has redesigned since returning to the White House. Trump told reporters the rooms would become a national monument that 'will not be allowed to be touched by anybody.' The signing came two days after voters, dissatisfied with his economic policies, gave Democrats control of Congress. It was also the third day this week that Trump delivered remarks focused on his Washington, D.C. projects, including an opulent ballroom and the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Since returning to office, Trump has overseen numerous design changes, filling the Oval Office walls with portraits, a copy of the Declaration of Independence and golden accents.