Trump's First Official Move After GOP Midterm Defeat? Declaring His Gold-Decorated Oval Office a National Monument

President Donald Trump's first official move after Republicans suffered major midterm defeats was to sign a proclamation designating the Oval Office and Cabinet Room a national monument in a bid to preserve the historic spaces he has decorated with gold accents.

Trump signed the proclamation on Thursday, two days after Republicans suffered major defeats in the midterm elections. However, the order does not stop future presidents from redecorating the rooms or reversing the designation altogether.

Trump Signs Proclamation Seeking to Protect Oval Office From Major Changes

Trump presented the proclamation as a sweeping safeguard against future major alterations. '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,' Trump said. 'We like the Oval Office, and it's a symbol, like the White House itself.'

The proclamation, issued after Trump's remarks, preserves his authority to 'redecorate the monument, select furnishings' and make routine operational or security changes, provided they do not 'substantially impair the monument's historic structure or architectural character.'

It also directs the interior secretary to manage the Oval Office and requires documentation, review and consideration of alternatives before any substantial alteration or demolition. Trump suggested major changes would require congressional approval, although that requirement does not appear in the document's text, according to PBS News.

'If they want to say, "Let's not have oval anymore, let's make it square," what happens is they have to go back to Congress and hopefully the Congress, the people in Congress, will be smart enough not to let that happen,' he said.

Gold Accents, Chandeliers, and a Ballroom

Since returning to the White House, Trump has transformed the Oval Office with gold wall decorations and portraits covering much of the available space. He has also displayed a copy of the Declaration of Independence and installed new chandeliers in the Cabinet Room, saying its previous lighting was inadequate.

The proclamation came amid a series of appearances highlighting Trump's Washington renovation projects. On Wednesday, 4 November, he attended a ceremony marking the installation of the final steel beam for his opulent White House ballroom, a day after Republicans suffered historic losses in the midterm elections. The milestone came just over a year after demolition of the White House's historic East Wing began in October 2025 to make way for the ballroom.

Democrats Turn Up Scrutiny of Trump's Ballroom

Following their congressional victories, Democrats are preparing to intensify scrutiny of Trump's White House renovations. Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal, the leading Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security Committee's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, sent letters on Thursday to known ballroom donors seeking information about their contributions. He warned recipients they could face 'alternative measures to obtain compliance' if they failed to cooperate.

Despite Trump's sweeping promises, future presidents could still change the Oval Office's appearance. Trump himself has previously reversed national monument designations made by his predecessors.

Still, he issued a warning to anyone considering major structural changes. 'If anybody ever decides to come and start knocking down walls, you call me wherever I may be,' Trump said. 'I'll come back here, and I'll make sure it never happens.'