Trump declares Oval Office a national monument

President Donald Trump signed a proclamation Thursday declaring the Oval Office a national monument, saying he wants to stop future presidents from tearing it down or making major changes to it. The designation also covers surrounding rooms, according to the BBC; The Guardian reported that it includes the Cabinet Room.

“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,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “We like the Oval Office, and it’s a symbol like the White House itself. It’s a symbol of our country and the greatness of our country.”

The proclamation directs the National Park Service to maintain the office in a way that protects its historic character, architectural integrity and association with the presidency. It does not, however, “restrict the President’s authority to redecorate the monument, select furnishings, or make ordinary operational and security modifications” that do not substantially impair its historic structure or architectural character.

Trump has added extensive gold decor to the Oval Office during his second term. Speaking from behind the Resolute Desk, he said the proclamation would make the rooms “a landmark for the ages.” He also said he did not want anyone to knock down walls or replace features simply to put up “some glass that’s a little bit better.”

The White House already has a National Historic Landmark designation. The proclamation acknowledges that protection but says the Oval Office merits separate recognition as a historic structure of national significance. Presidents can make some changes to the White House, though large projects require congressional permission. Congress has also provided an exemption to the National Historic Preservation Act to allow presidents to make needed changes. The current Oval Office dates to the early 1930s, following its conception by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Greg Werkheiser, a historic preservation lawyer at Cultural Heritage Partners, told the BBC that temporary changes to “furniture and decor” are up to the president. “As long as they’re not damaging the permanent art and architecture, they can generally do whatever they want,” he said. Werkheiser argued that Trump cannot prevent future presidents from making such changes and accused his administration of undermining protections for other historic sites.

The announcement comes amid a wider set of projects Trump calls White House “beautification.” The Guardian reported that those include the demolition of the East Wing for a $600 million ballroom and construction of a permanent granite helipad on the South Lawn. Trump defended his renovation work Thursday, saying he had paid to repair deteriorating windows, stonework and decorative features. He said exterior columns had been in “horrible shape.”

Trump has also drawn criticism for the Oval Office’s gold decor. Former President Barack Obama joked during the midterm campaign that Trump had the White House looking “like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory.”