Politics · United States · 54 mins ago
Trump seeks national monument status for Oval Office and Cabinet Room
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation seeking monument status for the Oval Office and Cabinet Room at the White House.
Trump has added extensive gold decoration to the Oval Office during his second term.
The designation is intended to make major changes to the rooms harder for future presidents.
Trump said a major redesign would require approval from Congress.
The rooms’ status matters because their interiors and architectural features have changed with different presidents.
Congress would need to ratify the proclamation for the proposed protection to take effect.
Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Thursday designating the Oval Office and Cabinet Room as national monuments, saying it would prevent future administrations from changing them.
Fox News reported that the proclamation also covers the Outer Oval Office and calls the spaces federal landmarks.
Trump said the rooms should be preserved and made it impossible for anyone to destroy or alter them.
The move came after Democrats won control of Congress in the midterm elections.
Critics accused Trump of focusing on White House construction projects rather than voter concerns such as affordability and the Iran war.
- Who
- President Donald Trump signed the proclamation.
- What
- It designates the Oval Office and Cabinet Room as national monuments. Fox News also reports that it covers the Outer Oval Office and designates the spaces as federal landmarks.
- When
- Thursday, November 5, 2026.
- Where
- The White House in Washington, D.C.
- Why
- Trump said he wanted to prevent future administrations from changing or destroying the rooms.
Donald Trump
Critics of Trump’s White House renovations
Purpose of the proclamation
Donald Trump
Trump said it would preserve the rooms and prevent future administrations from altering them.
Critics of Trump’s White House renovations
Critics accused Trump of focusing on construction and renovation projects instead of voter concerns.
Democrats won control of Congress in the midterm elections.
Trump signed the proclamation designating the Oval Office and Cabinet Room as national monuments.
- Date signed
- November 5, 2026
- Rooms named
- Oval Office and Cabinet Room
- Additional spaces
- Outer Oval Office, according to Fox News
- Designation
- National monuments; federal landmarks, according to Fox News
- Midterm result
- Democrats won control of Congress
10 sources
Goldornamente sollen bleiben: Trump erklärt Oval Office zum Nationaldenkmal
Trump signs proclamation to try to prevent changes to gold-covered Oval Office
Trump Moves to Make Oval Office a National Monument
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Dekor als Chefsache: Trump erklärt goldverziertes Oval Office zum Nationaldenkmal
Trump signs proclamation to prevent changes to Oval Office, other White House rooms
Trump designates Oval Office as national monument
Trump says he’s declaring Oval Office and Cabinet Room national landmarks to prevent future changes
What people are saying
It won't be able to be taken down, destroyed, touched or anything else
It won’t be able to be taken down, destroyed, touched, or anything else. It’s called actually a national monument
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.