'Nobody can touch it': Trump moves to bar future presidents from changing Oval Office

Former US President Donald Trump has taken steps to safeguard his redesigned Oval Office from alterations by subsequent administrations. Signing an executive order, Trump declared the office a national monument, placing it under the oversight of the National Park Service. Trump explained that this designation aims to prevent future presidents from dismantling or making substantial modifications to the space, stating, "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."

The executive order designates the Oval Office, along with adjoining rooms, as a national monument and directs the National Park Service to preserve its historic character and architectural integrity. However, the order does not prohibit the president from redecorating the office or making routine operational and security-related modifications, provided these changes do not significantly impact the building's historic structure or architectural features.

Trump emphasized the significance of the Oval Office as a symbol of the United States, stating, "It's a symbol of our country and the greatness of our country."

The Oval Office, having been in its current location since the 1930s, during Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency, has undergone extensive renovations by Trump, featuring extensive gold accents and gold-framed paintings. As a former real estate developer, Trump has also undertaken several high-profile construction and beautification projects in Washington, D.C. Despite these changes, the move has sparked debates about its significance and whether it can truly prevent future presidents from making alterations.