Trump Signs Proclamation Protecting Oval Office Redesign

President Donald Trump signed a presidential proclamation on Thursday to protect the specific design of the Oval Office and the Cabinet Room.

The document declares the two spaces in the White House West Wing as national monuments. Trump stated the move would prevent future administrations from altering the rooms or demolishing their features.

The signing took place in the Oval Office, which features gold-leafed walls and ceilings. The president addressed reporters from behind the Resolute Desk.

“I’m going to be signing a document which will make them into a landmark for the ages,” Trump said.

He argued that the proclamation ensures the rooms will not be destroyed or rebuilt into slightly different shapes. Trump described a hypothetical future where officials consider installing better glass, saying he would reject such changes to leave the spaces exactly as they are now.

“If anyone ever decides to come and start knocking down walls, you’ll call me wherever I may be, and I will come back here and I will make sure it never happens,” he said.

The proclamation comes shortly after the Republican Party suffered major losses in the midterm elections held this month. Democrats gained seats in traditionally Republican states including Texas, Kansas, South Carolina, and Iowa. The new Democratic-controlled Congress takes office next year.

On the desk near the signing, a red baseball cap with the word “Veto” was visible. The cap referenced Trump’s stated intention to block legislative priorities passed by the new Congress.

Since returning to office, Trump has overseen several White House renovation projects. These include the demolition of the East Wing to build a $600 million ballroom and the construction of a permanent granite helipad on the South Lawn.

During the press conference, Trump defended the broader renovation work by pointing to exterior damage such as cracked windows and broken stonework. He said skilled workers had repaired columns that were in poor condition.

“When you looked at that wall one year ago, it was badly damaged from years of service,” he said.

Former President Barack Obama recently criticized the opulent redesign. He joked that the White House looked like a Cheesecake Factory with gold everywhere. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent responded to the remark by dining at a Cheesecake Factory location.