From ABC News · ABC News · · 2m
Trump designates Oval Office a national monument
President Trump signs proclamation to prevent future presidents from making major changes to the Oval Office and Cabinet Room.
In brief
President Trump signs proclamation to prevent future presidents from making major changes to the Oval Office and Cabinet Room. Trump signed a proclamation Thursday designating the Oval Office, outer Oval Office and Cabinet Room as national monuments to prevent future presidents from making major changes to them…
Trump signs monument proclamation
Fresh off a midterm election defeat, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation Thursday aiming to prevent future presidents from making major changes to the Oval Office and Cabinet Room.
Rooms designated as national monument
The proclamation designates the Oval Office, the outer Oval Office and the Cabinet Room as a national monument, which Trump said will make them impossible to knock down and change in any meaningful way.
Trump's stated purpose
Trump said the designation will prevent the rooms from being destroyed or ripped down by stupid people in order to build something in a slightly different shape.
“destroyed, ripped down by stupid people, in order to build something in a slightly different shape”
Cabinet Room upgrades
Trump said the interior of the Cabinet Room, which serves as a meeting room for the president and his top advisers, is pretty much the same as before but has been substantially upgraded with new…
Congress approval required
Trump said no major modification will take place to the Cabinet Room or Oval Office without the approval of Congress, and indicated the proclamation would have to be sent to Congress to be ratified.
Future gold accents uncertain
Asked whether a future president could remove the gold accents Trump has hung in the Oval Office, Trump indicated a future leader could, but very carefully.
East Wing demolished in October 2025
In October 2025, Trump himself made major structural changes to the White House, tearing down the East Wing with little notice or oversight as part of the plan to build the White House ballroom.
Ballroom construction continues
Construction has continued since then, drastically changing the White House grounds. On Wednesday, Trump touted the ballroom project as he invited reporters to witness the raising of the final beam.
Trump defends White House focus
At the Wednesday event, Trump acknowledged criticism for focusing on White House projects, saying the White House is the ultimate symbol of America and has got to be pristine.
“the White House is the ultimate symbol of America, and it's got to be pristine”
The headline
Trump signed a proclamation Thursday designating the Oval Office, outer Oval Office and Cabinet Room as national monuments to prevent future presidents from making major changes to them.
