Trump signs proclamation making Oval Office and Cabinet Room national monuments

President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Thursday making the Oval Office and the Cabinet Room in the White House a national monument ¹². He said the designation would protect the rooms as he has redesigned them ².

"We're making it a national monument and it will not be allowed to be touched by anybody," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office ².

On tapeUSA TODAY · Nov 5

▶0:55

Trump noted that Congress would have to ratify the proclamation, and that no major modifications could be made to the rooms without Congress's approval ¹.

He described the Oval Office as a symbol of the country. "It's a symbol of our country, and the greatness of our country," Trump said ¹. He also said: "If anyone ever decides to come and start knocking down walls, you call me, and I will come back here, and I will make sure it never happens" ¹.

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The signing came two days after voters, dissatisfied with his economic policies, threw dozens of Republicans out of office and gave control of Congress to Democrats, the Associated Press reported ². It was also the third day this week in which the president delivered remarks focused on his Washington, D.C., projects, including a ballroom and the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool ².

Trump has made a number of changes to the White House campus during his second administration, most notably knocking down the East Wing to build the White House ballroom without congressional authorization ¹. The move led to legal challenges, but the Supreme Court ultimately ruled that construction could proceed ¹. On Wednesday, after his party's midterm defeat, Trump invited the White House press pool to the ballroom construction site to see the final steel beam installed ¹.

On tapeUSA TODAY · Nov 5

▶21:04

The president has also made cosmetic changes around the White House, including installing gold embellishments throughout the Oval Office ¹. "The Oval Office is a place of victory. It's a place of prestige," Trump told reporters ¹. "See that beautiful white wall? There's no gold in that" ¹. He added that he fixed broken windows and cracks in the White House, including in the Oval Office ¹.

Since returning to the White House, Trump has overseen numerous design changes to various rooms, including the Oval Office, where he has filled the wall space with portraits, a copy of the Declaration of Independence and numerous golden accents ².

What happens next

The proclamation's durability depends on Congress, which Trump said would have to ratify it ¹. Democrats won control of Congress in Tuesday's midterm elections, according to the AP ². The copy did not say when or whether lawmakers would take up the measure.

Why it matters

The move tests how far a president can go in binding the White House itself, the building where he works and where his successors will work. That matters because Trump has already used executive action to reshape the campus, including the East Wing demolition that drew legal challenges before the Supreme Court allowed construction to proceed ¹. By asking Congress to ratify the monument designation, Trump is seeking a more permanent lock on his decor changes ¹.

The Record

1. Nov 3, 2026Voters, dissatisfied with Trump's economic policies, threw dozens of Republicans out of office and gave Democrats control of Congress ².
2. Nov 4, 2026Trump invited the White House press pool to the ballroom construction site to see the final steel beam installed ¹.
3. Nov 5, 2026Trump signed a proclamation making the Oval Office and Cabinet Room national monuments ¹².

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<h2>Trump signs proclamation making Oval Office and Cabinet Room national monuments</h2> <p><em>By The GOP Files White House Desk. This article first appeared on <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/trump-signs-proclamation-making-oval-office-and-cabinet-room-national-monuments">The GOP Files</a> on Thursday, November 5, 2026.</em></p> <p>President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Thursday making the Oval Office and the Cabinet Room in the White House a national monument . He said the designation would protect the rooms as he has redesigned them .</p> <p>&quot;We&#39;re making it a national monument and it will not be allowed to be touched by anybody,&quot; Trump told reporters in the Oval Office .</p> <p>Trump noted that Congress would have to ratify the proclamation, and that no major modifications could be made to the rooms without Congress&#39;s approval .</p> <p>He described the Oval Office as a symbol of the country. &quot;It&#39;s a symbol of our country, and the greatness of our country,&quot; Trump said . He also said: &quot;If anyone ever decides to come and start knocking down walls, you call me, and I will come back here, and I will make sure it never happens&quot; .</p> <p>The signing came two days after voters, dissatisfied with his economic policies, threw dozens of Republicans out of office and gave control of Congress to Democrats, the Associated Press reported . It was also the third day this week in which the president delivered remarks focused on his Washington, D.C., projects, including a ballroom and the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool .</p> <p>Trump has made a number of changes to the White House campus during his second administration, most notably knocking down the East Wing to build the White House ballroom without congressional authorization . The move led to legal challenges, but the Supreme Court ultimately ruled that construction could proceed . On Wednesday, after his party&#39;s midterm defeat, Trump invited the White House press pool to the ballroom construction site to see the final steel beam installed .</p> <p>The president has also made cosmetic changes around the White House, including installing gold embellishments throughout the Oval Office . &quot;The Oval Office is a place of victory. It&#39;s a place of prestige,&quot; Trump told reporters . &quot;See that beautiful white wall? There&#39;s no gold in that&quot; . He added that he fixed broken windows and cracks in the White House, including in the Oval Office .</p> <p>Since returning to the White House, Trump has overseen numerous design changes to various rooms, including the Oval Office, where he has filled the wall space with portraits, a copy of the Declaration of Independence and numerous golden accents .</p> <h2>What happens next</h2> <p>The proclamation&#39;s durability depends on Congress, which Trump said would have to ratify it . Democrats won control of Congress in Tuesday&#39;s midterm elections, according to the AP . The copy did not say when or whether lawmakers would take up the measure.</p> <h2>Why it matters</h2> <p>The move tests how far a president can go in binding the White House itself, the building where he works and where his successors will work. That matters because Trump has already used executive action to reshape the campus, including the East Wing demolition that drew legal challenges before the Supreme Court allowed construction to proceed . By asking Congress to ratify the monument designation, Trump is seeking a more permanent lock on his decor changes .</p> <p><em>Read the original, with every source linked, at <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/trump-signs-proclamation-making-oval-office-and-cabinet-room-national-monuments">thegopfiles.com</a>. Republished under The GOP Files' <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/republish">free republishing terms</a>.</em></p> <img src="https://thegopfiles.com/api/rp/trump-signs-proclamation-making-oval-office-and-cabinet-room-national-monuments.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border:0;width:1px;height:1px">

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Sources

1. The Hill, “Trump signs proclamation making Oval Office, Cabinet Room national monument” (2026-11-05). thehill.com/homenews/administration/6202079-trump-national-m
2. PBS NewsHour, “Trump signs proclamation he says will prevent future changes to Oval Office and Cabinet Room” (2026-11-05). pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-signs-proclamation-he-says-w

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