U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that makes the Oval Office a national monument. The order is meant to stop future presidents from changing or tearing down the historic room.
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Trump signed the order on Thursday, November 5. It comes as he continues major renovation work at the White House, even after his Republican Party lost the recent midterm elections and Democrats took control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
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The order protects the Oval Office and the nearby Cabinet Room. Trump showed reporters the newly protected spaces, which have been decorated with gold ornaments since he returned to office.
Some critics say Trump is paying more attention to White House building projects than to important national issues. They point to the ongoing construction of a new White House ballroom, as well as concerns about the war with Iran and the rising cost of living.
By making the Oval Office a national monument, Trump is trying to make it harder for future administrations to make major changes to the room. The order is likely to spark more debate about whether the president should focus on preserving the White House or addressing urgent problems facing the country.
“It won’t be able to be taken down,
, touched, or anything else. It’s called actually a national monument,” Trump stated.
The designation aims to legally bar future occupants of the White House from undertaking structural modifications or remodeling work within the two rooms. The decision has also sparked speculation regarding potential further changes to the West Wing, following previous suggestions that the administration might relocate the nearby White House briefing room.
While the signing was not broadcast by major U.S. television networks compounded by the White House’s ongoing exclusion of CNN from the presidential pool, Trump addressed the midterm electoral outcome by displaying a red baseball cap bearing the word “veto” on the Resolute Desk.
The 80-year-old president has vowed to utilize his executive veto power to block incoming Democratic-led legislation, while simultaneously expressing openness to bipartisan cooperation.
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