Trump makes Oval Office a national monument while allowing redecoration

President Donald Trump has designated the Oval Office and two adjoining White House areas a national monument, ordering a preservation plan and review of substantial architectural changes.

The proclamation, signed on 5 November under the Antiquities Act, covers the Oval Office, the Outer Oval Office and the Cabinet Room. The White House and its grounds were already recognised as a National Historic Landmark and managed by the National Park Service as part of President’s Park.

The interior secretary must manage the new monument through the Park Service and develop a plan with White House and other officials. Before the monument or its essential architectural elements are substantially altered or demolished, the proclamation requires documentation, review and consideration of alternatives. Proposed changes affecting its historic character must also be assessed for consistency with its national significance.

Trump told reporters there could be “no major modification without the approval of Congress”, Reuters reported. The proclamation says it does not diminish Congress’s authority over federal property, but it does not itself set out a general requirement for congressional approval of major changes.

It also says it does not restrict the president’s authority to redecorate or choose furnishings. Ordinary operational and security changes remain possible if they do not substantially impair the historic structure or architectural character. Existing statutory exemptions for the White House under the National Historic Preservation Act remain unchanged.

Trump has added gold accents and portraits to the Oval Office since returning to office, according to the Associated Press. The agency notes that he has previously rolled back other national monuments by proclamation.