Donald Trump Declares Oval Office National Monument to Block Future Changes

President Donald Trump signed an order on Thursday designating the White House Oval Office as a national monument to prevent future administrations from altering the space.

The 80-year-old Republican has extensively remodeled the presidential office during his second term by adding numerous gold features, paintings, and ornaments to the walls.

The executive action extends national monument status to the Oval Office and neighboring Cabinet Room, placing their maintenance under the National Park Service.

Presidents hold wide authority to manage White House decor, but major construction projects require congressional approval, according to federal rules.

Preservation experts questioned the legal weight of the order while criticizing the administration for attempting to bypass heritage laws on other Washington construction projects.

"So we're making it a national monument, and 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," said Donald Trump, the U.S. President.

The proclamation specifies that future commanders in chief retain the authority to redecorate, select furnishings, or make routine security modifications.

"We like the Oval Office, and it's a symbol like the White House itself. It's a symbol of our country and the greatness of our country," Mr. Trump said.

The entire executive mansion already holds status as a National Historic Landmark, a designation established to guard against sudden alterations to the structure.

The White House argued that the Oval Office specifically deserves separate recognition and protective management as a discrete historic structure.

Critics and political opponents mocked the redesign during the recent congressional campaign, with former President Barack Obama comparing the golden decor to a fast-food chain.

Late-night television host Jimmy Kimmel also lampooned the preservation order during his program, according to The Independent.

The announcement arrived two days after Democrats captured majorities in the House of Representatives and the Senate in the midterm elections.

The administration has not clarified whether additional West Wing spaces will receive similar monument protections before the presidential term concludes.