Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Nov 6: US President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation aimed at protecting the Oval Office and Cabinet Room from major structural changes by future administrations, describing the move as an effort to preserve two of the White House's most recognisable spaces.
The proclamation, signed on Thursday, directs the Interior Secretary to oversee the preservation of the two historic rooms and ensure proper documentation and review of proposals involving substantial structural alterations or demolition.
Trump said the iconic rooms should not be destroyed or significantly redesigned by future occupants of the White House.
"It will not be allowed to be touched by anybody, destroyed, ripped down by stupid people, in order to build something in a slightly different shape. We like the Oval Office, and it's a symbol, like the White House itself," he said.
The signing marked Trump's first official action following the Republican Party's setbacks in the 2026 midterm elections.
However, the proclamation does not completely prevent future presidents from modifying the interiors. It specifically preserves their authority to redecorate the rooms, select furnishings and undertake routine operational and security changes, provided these do not substantially affect the historic structures or architectural character.
The order itself can also be reversed by a subsequent president. Trump has previously rolled back national monument designations introduced by his predecessors, highlighting the limitations of the latest preservation measure.
Trump suggested that any major structural redesign would require congressional approval, although the proclamation does not explicitly establish such a requirement.
"If they want to say, 'Let's not have oval anymore, let's make it square,' what happens is they have to go back to Congress and hopefully the Congress, the people in Congress, will be smart enough not to let that happen," he said.
The announcement comes amid Trump's extensive efforts to transform the appearance of the White House since returning to office. The Oval Office has received several decorative additions, including gold-coloured features, gold-framed portraits and other embellishments. Its walls also display multiple portraits and a copy of the Declaration of Independence.
During Thursday's remarks, Trump highlighted the installation of new chandeliers in the Cabinet Room, saying they were intended to address what he described as poor lighting.
The announcement was the third time this week that Trump publicly highlighted his White House renovation projects. On Wednesday, he invited reporters to witness the installation of the final structural beam for his proposed White House ballroom. Earlier, on Monday, he visited the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to discuss renovation work at the landmark.
Trump did not provide specific details about the structural changes he wanted to prevent but suggested that a future administration could attempt to alter the presidential office.
"If anybody ever decides to come and start knocking down walls, you call me wherever I may be and I'll come back here and I'll make sure it never happens," he said.
Meanwhile, Democrats are preparing to intensify scrutiny of Trump's administration and its spending decisions. On Thursday, Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal, the top Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security Committee's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, sent letters to several known donors to Trump's proposed White House ballroom.
Blumenthal sought information from the donors and warned that failure to cooperate could lead to "alternative measures to obtain compliance".
The inquiry adds to the scrutiny surrounding Trump's renovation plans in Washington, with several beautification projects already facing legal challenges over allegations that work was undertaken without the necessary approvals.