US President Donald Trump has designated the Oval Office and the adjoining Cabinet Room as a national monument through a newly signed executive order. The announcement was made shortly after the Republican Party suffered a significant defeat in Tuesday’s midterm elections, where Democrats secured victories in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The decision appears to extend the president’s focus on White House renovations and beautification projects, despite growing criticism that he has prioritized these efforts over pressing issues such as the war with Iran and rising living costs. Critics had accused Trump of neglecting these concerns during the election campaign, which ended in a major setback for his party.
During the signing ceremony, held inside the Oval Office, Trump stated that the proclamation was intended to protect the two rooms from future destruction or alterations by successive administrations. “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 also maintained that the designation would prevent future occupants of the White House from undertaking construction work in the designated areas.
The Oval Office, which Trump has adorned with gold decorations since returning to power last year, remains the center of his recent administrative actions. The move has raised speculation about whether the president is considering additional renovations to the West Wing, following previous indications that he might relocate journalists from the briefing room situated close to the Oval Office.
The event was not aired by major US television networks after Trump excluded CNN from the rotating group of broadcasters responsible for covering White House events. Although Trump largely avoided discussing the midterm election outcome, he made an apparent reference to the political battle by displaying a red baseball cap bearing the word “veto” on the Resolute Desk during the ceremony.
The 80-year-old Republican has threatened to deploy his presidential powers to block legislation proposed by Democrats, although he has also expressed willingness to cooperate with the opposition party in the coming session.
<small>Source: Daily Post Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
