President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to designate his redecorated Oval Office as a national monument, aiming to prevent future presidents from altering its appearance. The move comes after months of the president revamping the space with gold accents, cherubs, and presidential portraits, a style that has drawn criticism.
"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," Trump told reporters. He added that he would return to ensure the room is not changed if future administrations attempt to redecorate.
The president defended his renovations, stating, "I paid for it myself. I fixed it, and now it's more beautiful and in better shape." He also criticized former President Barack Obama, whose administration had reportedly compared the office's decor to "Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory."
In a separate development, a federal judge has issued a 14-day temporary restraining order halting construction on a proposed 250-foot "Arc de Trump" in Washington D.C. Judge Tanya Chutkan's decision followed a vote by the National Capital Planning Commission to approve the project, which critics, including Democrats and veterans, argued would obstruct views of Arlington National Cemetery.
The proposed monument, envisioned to resemble Paris's Arc de Triomphe, was reportedly planned to cost around $100 million and would feature a golden Lady Liberty statue and gold eagles. Designs also indicated it would serve as a complex for storing military equipment and potentially housing snipers and drone teams during major events.
The White House responded to the judge's order by calling the court an "activist district court" and expressed confidence that the project would ultimately be completed. The "Arc de Trump" was intended to commemorate the nation's 250th anniversary.