Trump Gives the Oval Office National Monument Status
US President Donald Trump has signed an order designating the White House's Oval Office a national monument. The aim is to limit the ability of future presidents to substantially alter the room's historic appearance.
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order granting national monument status to the Oval Office at the White House. According to the BBC, the move is intended to make it harder for future presidents to significantly change the look and historic character of the working space.
Trump told reporters that nobody would be allowed to touch, destroy or tear down the Oval Office just to build something in a slightly different form. He said the room, like the White House itself, is an important symbol of the United States.
What the order covers
The order applies not only to the Oval Office but also to several adjoining rooms. It does not stop presidents from changing furniture or decorations, or from carrying out routine maintenance and security upgrades, provided these do not substantially affect the building's historic character.
Earlier changes at the White House
Since returning to the White House, Trump has considerably changed the Oval Office interior, adding many gilded details. The renovations have also affected other parts of the complex, including the Rose Garden, where a new surface has been laid. The White House East Wing has been demolished entirely to make room for a new ballroom. The project has prompted legal disputes, although the US Congress approved it.
Trump claims the White House was in poor technical condition before his improvements. He has also said that foreign leaders who have visited in recent months have praised the interior changes.
Lawyers doubtful
Legal experts question whether the new order will significantly change existing arrangements. The White House is already recognised as a historic site of national significance, and presidents are entitled to alter its interior as long as historic structures are not damaged.
Former US President Barack Obama, during an election campaign, mocked the gilded details of the Oval Office, comparing its new look to an interior that former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein might have designed.
