Trump signs order to preserve Oval Office as national monument
The order comes after Trump made a series of big changes to the decor of the Oval Office and tore down the White House East Wing.
Key points
- Trump signed an executive order declaring the Oval Office a national monument.
- The order does not stop future presidents from redecorating or changing furnishings.
- It follows Trump's demolition of the White House East Wing without congressional approval.
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order declaring the Oval Office a national monument, according to BBC News. The order covers the president's official office, which Trump has renovated.
Trump told reporters on Thursday that the room would not be allowed to be touched or destroyed by anyone. The order states it does not restrict a president's authority to redecorate the office, select furnishings, or make ordinary operational and security changes.
East Wing demolition
The order comes months after Trump tore down the entire White House East Wing, a project that has faced legal challenges. The project was not approved by the US Congress, and construction has continued with plans for a new ballroom.
Trump said the White House and Oval Office had needed repairs before his changes, describing the room as "badly damaged". He cited broken windows, cracked walls and broken stone, though many noticeable changes were cosmetic, including a gold plaque outside the office, paving over the Rose Garden and a new helicopter pad.
We're making it a national monument, and it will not be allowed to be touched by anybody
— Donald Trump
Legal questions remain
It is unclear whether the action could be reversed by a future president or a legal challenge. Most executive orders can be overturned, and Trump scaled back two national monuments in Utah in 2017, but revoking a national monument designation has not been tested in court.
Greg Werkheiser of the law firm Cultural Heritage Partners told the BBC that temporary alterations such as furniture and decor are up to the president's discretion. He called the order "hypocrisy", saying Trump was talking about preserving the Oval Office while taking "an axe" to the law that protects other historic sites.
