New reports and social media posts have drawn attention to the gold-colored ornaments that decorate the Oval Office, suggesting several of the pieces resemble inexpensive polyurethane appliqués sold at a major home-improvement retailer for about $58.
The Daily Mail published a story on Wednesday that said some of the gilded decorations, including angel motifs and ornamental medallions, appear similar to items marketed as DIY polyurethane appliqués at The Home Depot. Inside Edition separately reported that several trimmings were plastic molds painted gold. The Daily Mail said it could not independently verify the claims.
The trim has become more visible amid visits by foreign leaders and during press events, nine months into President Donald Trump’s second term. Trump has previously described the redecorations as featuring “24 karat” gold and has said he paid for them personally. A White House official told the Daily Mail that the items were “made with the highest quality gold” and paid for by the president, according to the newspaper.
Social media users seized on the reports. One user on X called the additions “spray-painted, plastic Home Depot castings,” while another wrote that the decorations looked like those chosen by a “broke mobster’s wife.” Other posts referenced a decorative paperweight stamped with the president’s name that has been photographed on his desk.
During a recent interview on Fox News with host Laura Ingraham, Trump said the angel decorations above Oval Office doorways were intended to bring good luck. “It’s angels. They say angels bring good luck, and we need a lot of luck in this country with what they’ve done over the last four years,” he said.
The reports sparked commentary from across the political spectrum. Earlier this month, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. praised the president’s “commitment to Gold Standard Science.” In reply, some social media users pointed to the reported Home Depot pieces as evidence of what they called a tacky aesthetic.
Trump’s preference for gilded décor is not new. As a businessman before entering politics, he built a brand around luxury properties, golf courses and clubs that frequently used gold accents. The current controversy centers on whether those accents in the Oval Office are solid metal, plated with precious metal, or decorative appliqués painted to appear gold.
Reporting on the provenance and cost of the decorations is mixed. The Daily Mail and Inside Edition highlighted similarities between some Oval Office ornaments and retail items, but none of the reporting verified purchase records or supplier invoices. The White House statement to the Daily Mail asserting the materials’ quality was reported by the newspaper; a separate, direct statement from the White House to other outlets was not provided.
The Oval Office’s decorative choices could carry diplomatic and political implications, given the location’s symbolic role during visits by foreign leaders and televised events. Aesthetic decisions for the presidential workplace have periodically drawn public attention and scrutiny in past administrations.
At this writing, no independent documentation of purchases or receipts for the specific items identified in the reports has been publicly released. Journalists and commentators continue to report on the materials used in the Oval Office and the administration’s statements about who paid for them.