Daniel Wolfram
An unprecedented move inside the West Wing leaves future presidents powerless to touch Trump’s golden makeover.
On Thursday, President Donald Trump made his first policy change after getting embarrassed by the Democrats on Tuesday, Election Day.
Under this decree, he officially designated the Oval Office, the Outer Oval Office, and the Cabinet Room as a national monument to safeguard his vision for the West Wing.
The goal is straightforward: to stop future administrations from undoing his architectural choices. This comes shortly after a former president made headlines for mocking Trump’s decor in the office.
The Oval Office becomes a national monument
“We’re making it a national monument, and it will not be allowed to be touched by anybody,” he said. Under the new rules, the Interior Department and the National Park Service must craft a strict preservation plan to protect the rooms’ “structural and significant architectural features,” Trump said to reporters while sitting at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office.
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Even so, future occupants will still have some freedom. Successors can easily swap out artwork, rearrange furniture, or replace curtains.
But any project that knocks down walls or permanently alters essential architectural elements will now require formal reviews and exhaustive alternative proposals.
The ‘Cheesecake Factory’ feud
The decree follows controversy surrounding Trump’s golden redesign. Ever since his return to Washington, he has packed the workspace with gilded moldings, thick golden drapes, and historic portraits.
The decor was highlighted on the campaign trail last week. During a campaign stop before the midterms, former President Barack Obama poked fun at the gold-heavy look, saying that the Oval Office looks like it is a Cheesecake Factory opened by Saddam Hussein.
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Trump struck back fast. He dismissed Obama as a “lousy president” who had neglected the property’s basic structural maintenance.
Trump insisted the aging building desperately needed his help. “I’ve taken care of the White House,” he said, pointing to crumbling plaster, missing facade ornaments, and cracked stonework across the grounds. Defending his taste, he added, “I fixed it with the finest artisans in the world.”
