US President Donald Trump has signed a fresh executive order to stop future leaders from altering the White House Oval Office. The former real estate mogul has already made several changes to the room during his second term, especially putting lots of gold touches onto the walls.
On Thursday, Trump told reporters that the space will become a national monument so that nobody can touch, destroy, or rip it down just to build something slightly different.
Monument status and upkeep
The order covers the famous office along with several surrounding rooms. While American presidents can already make minor updates to the White House, massive renovations need the approval of Congress.
Under the new rule, the National Park Service must look after the office to protect its architectural integrity and historic value. The order still allows commanders-in-chief to pick furniture, redecorate, and carry out standard operational or security upgrades, as long as these do not harm its core historic structure.
“So we're making it a national monument, and 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,”Donald Trump
Backlash and criticism
The whole White House is already listed as a National Historic Landmark, which was designed to stop sudden shifts. The current Oval Office itself dates back to the early 1930s, created following the vision of President Franklin D Roosevelt.
Greg Werkheiser from Cultural Heritage Partners pointed out that presidents already have broad discretion regarding furniture and decor. Werkheiser accused Trump of hypocrisy, arguing that his administration is challenging laws protecting other sites across Washington while trying to lock down the Oval Office.
