Trump signs proclamation declaring Oval Office a national monument
US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed a proclamation designating the Oval Office and the adjacent Cabinet Room a national monument. It was his first official act since his party's heavy losses in Tuesday's midterm elections.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed a proclamation in Washington that designates the Oval Office and the neighbouring Cabinet Room in the White House's West Wing as a national monument. The measure is meant to prevent major changes to the rooms, which Trump has extensively redesigned during his second term. It was his first official act since the Republican Party's heavy losses in Tuesday's midterm elections, which will give Democrats control of Congress in January.
At the signing, Trump told reporters the rooms would not be allowed to be touched, describing the designation as making them a landmark for the ages. The monument also covers the Outer Oval Office. The proclamation cites the aim of preserving the spaces' historic character, architectural integrity and association with the Presidency.
What the document provides
The interior secretary is to manage the monument through the National Park Service. Before any action that would substantially alter or demolish it, documentation, review and consideration of alternatives are required. The text explicitly says it does not restrict the president's authority to redecorate, choose furnishings or change the decor.
Future presidents can revise or revoke the proclamation through a new executive action. Trump himself used that tool to sharply reduce two national monuments in Utah in his first term, and again in his second term after Joe Biden had fully restored them.
Other Trump projects
The signing was the third event of the week devoted to the president's signature renovation projects. These include demolishing the East Wing to build a White House ballroom costing nearly $1bn above a multistorey underground bunker, and a proposed 76-metre triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery. The projects, along with the failed renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which cost more than $14m, have drawn criticism from opposition lawmakers and many Americans. The administration faces several lawsuits alleging the Washington projects proceeded without necessary approvals.
Trump did not specify what exactly he wants to prevent, but suggested the Oval Office could face a threat in the future.
