Trump bars future presidents from altering Oval Office

US President Donald Trump has signed an order designating the Oval Office as a national monument, a move he said would prevent future presidents from altering or demolishing the historic space. Trump signed the order on Thursday, extending his focus on White House renovations despite a major midterm election defeat suffered by his Republican Party.

Critics have accused the president of paying more attention to construction and renovation projects in Washington than to voters’ concerns over the war in Iran and the rising cost of living, issues that featured prominently ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections. A day after Democrats won control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, Trump largely ignored the electoral outcome and instead showcased construction work on a new White House ballroom.

On Thursday, his attention shifted to the Oval Office, which he has decorated with gold ornaments since returning to power last year, as well as the adjoining Cabinet Room. Trump said the proclamation was intended to protect the two rooms from future alterations. “It won’t be able to be taken down, destroyed, touched, or anything else. It’s called actually a national monument,” he told reporters.

The president said the order would make it impossible for future occupants of the White House to carry out building work on the two rooms. The move, however, has fuelled speculation that Trump could be considering further changes to the West Wing, following earlier suggestions that he might relocate reporters from the White House briefing room, which is close to the Oval Office.

Trump’s signing of the order was not broadcast by major US television networks. The White House has excluded CNN from the rotating pool of television outlets covering presidential events. The president, however, made a reference to the midterm elections, placing a red baseball cap bearing the word “veto” on the Resolute Desk in front of him. Trump, 80, has threatened to use his presidential powers to block Democratic-backed legislation, although he has also said he is willing to work with the opposition party.