&w=3840&q=100)
For the love of gold: Inside the Oval Office makeover by Donald Trump
The Oval Office has had a bit of a makeover recently.
Every president leaves their mark on the White House, swapping out decor and rearranging details to reflect their style and priorities. But in his second term, Donald Trump has taken that tradition in a flashier direction with his not-so-subtle love for gold, glitz, and unapologetic grandeur.
'The transformation has been gradual and unmistakable… By February, some golden urns on the mantle. April, gold adornments appear on the walls. By July, it's gold everywhere. Just this week more scaffolding popped up, even more new gold trim appeared,' Acyn Torabi, a journalist, wrote on Trump's new glitzy new 'gold' Oval Office.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
So what has changed? And how does it differ from what his predecessor, Joe Biden, did? Here's a closer look.
Golden embellishments
Under Joe Biden, the Oval Office ceiling was simple, cream wallpaper with matching crown moulding and no extra flourishes.
Donald Trump has taken that understated look in a very different direction. He added gold trim to the crown moulding, pairing it with the gold curtains that have hung in the office since Biden's term.
US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Apple CEO Tim Cook in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on August 6, 2025. File image/AFP
The greenery that once sat on the mantel, a potted Swedish ivy, was also removed. In its place now stand nine gold trophies, most of them made in Europe.
Critics say the changes make the Oval Office resemble the royal palaces America once fought to break away from. But Trump sees it differently. Speaking to Fox News in March, he said the office 'needed a little life,' so he chose gold.
'They say angels bring good luck,' he explained. 'And we need a lot of luck in this country with what they have done over the last four years.'
The greenery that once sat on the mantel, a potted Swedish ivy, was also removed. In its place now stand nine gold trophies, most of them made in Europe.
By April, the gold touches were impossible to ignore. That's when Trump's 'gold guy,' John Icart, the same craftsman who worked on Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, was flown in from South Florida. According to officials, Icart added gold accents to the mantel, walls, and mouldings, and even delivered golden cherubs that now sit on display.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Trump also brought in smaller gold details, such as coasters, branded with his name.
A golden presidential seal
The presidential seal on the Oval Office ceiling has been there for decades. Franklin D. Roosevelt first added the plaster relief during a 1934 renovation, and for years, it remained a subtle detail.
Not anymore. In Trump's latest overhaul, the seal and the surrounding stars have been painted in gilded gold, making them stand out far more than before.
The presidential seal on the Oval Office ceiling has been there for decades. In Trump's latest overhaul, the seal and the surrounding stars have been painted in gilded gold. AFP
But to be fair, Trump's taste for gold is nothing new. His Trump Tower penthouse in New York is lined with gilded ceilings, furniture, and artwork. At Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Palm Beach, even the ballroom gleams with gold from floor to ceiling.
Rugs, flags & portraits
One of Trump's first moves after returning to the White House was to swap out the Oval Office rug and change up the portraits.
Gone is the dark blue rug, originally made for Bill Clinton, that featured the presidential seal in the centre.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Gone is the dark blue rug, originally made for Bill Clinton, that featured the presidential seal in the centre. File image/ AFP
In its place, Trump brought back a lighter rug once used by Ronald Reagan. The design still includes the presidential seal, but also features a sunbeam pattern and olive branches around the border, meant to symbolise peace. It's the same rug Trump used during his first term.
Trump brought back a lighter rug once used by Ronald Reagan. AFP
Trump's Oval Office also now feature the flags of the Army, the Marine Corps, and the Navy.
Trump's Oval Office also now feature the flags of the Army, the Marine Corps, and the Navy. AFP
The walls have had just as big a shake-up. Under Biden, the Entrance Hall displayed Barack Obama's official White House portrait, a hyper-realistic painting showing the former president in a navy suit. That's now gone, replaced by a painting of Trump himself.
The new piece, by artist Marc Lipp, is based on a photo taken moments after the assassination attempt at Trump's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, showing him with his fist raised.
Barack Obama's portrait was replaced with Trump's after the assassination attempt at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, showing him with his fist raised. AFP
Trump didn't stop there. He's added more portraits in ornate frames, turning one wall into a kind of gallery. He also replaced Biden's portrait of Franklin D Roosevelt with a portrait of George Washington.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
The Rose Garden refresh
The White House Rose Garden has been through many changes over the decades. Originally designed in 1913 by First Lady Ellen Wilson as a formal flower garden, it was later reimagined as a grassy lawn for press conferences and official events.
In 2020, Melania Trump added a limestone border around the grass, but in his second term, Trump went much further. The lawn is now gone, replaced with concrete and stone tiles, giving the space the look and feel of a Mar-a-Lago-style patio.
The White House Rose Garden has been through many changes over the decades. The lawn is now gone, replaced with concrete and stone tiles, giving the space the look and feel of a Mar-a-Lago-style patio. AFP
Trump has been open about why he made the change. Speaking to Fox News in March, he said the grass was simply 'impractical' for big gatherings, especially when it rained.
'The grass just doesn't work,' he told host Laura Ingraham. 'It gets wet, and people in high heels can't walk on it. This way, it works for everyone.'
A ballroom in the works
Trump's taste for big, bold spaces isn't stopping at the Rose Garden. His next project is on a much grander scale: a $200 million state ballroom in the East Wing.
The White House's current largest state room, the East Room, holds around 200 people. The planned ballroom will triple that, with a seating capacity of 650 and an expansive 90,000 square feet of space.
The White House has called it a 'much-needed and exquisite addition.' Trump says the funding will come from himself and 'patriot donors,' not taxpayers.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
It's not hard to guess what kind of look he's going for, if his past projects are anything to go by, expect a lot of shine and a whole lot of spectacle.
With input from agencies
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
21 minutes ago
- News18
Russia Ukraine War Ukrainian Drone Strikes Hit Russia Ahead of Trump-Putin Alaska Summit
A wave of Ukrainian drone strikes has hit multiple cities in southern Russia, leaving at least 16 people injured just one day before the high-stakes Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war. News18 Mobile App -
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
21 minutes ago
- First Post
Trump discussed Nobel Peace Prize and tariffs in call with Norway's finance minister: Report
Several countries including Israel, Pakistan and Cambodia have nominated Trump for brokering peace agreements or ceasefires, and he has said he deserves the Norwegian-bestowed accolade that four White House predecessors received. This is an AI generated image for representational purpose. US President Donald Trump called Norway's Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg unexpectedly last month, raising both trade tariffs and his ambition to secure the Nobel Peace Prize. The conversation, first reported by Norwegian daily Dagens Næringsliv on Thursday, was later confirmed to POLITICO by a government official in Oslo. According to the paper, it was not the first occasion on which Trump had brought up the prize in talks with Stoltenberg. Trump, who has been nominated by countries including Israel, Pakistan and Cambodia for mediating peace deals or ceasefires, has earlier said he deserves the Norwegian-awarded honour, which has gone to four former US presidents. 'Out of the blue, while Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg was walking down the street in Oslo, Donald Trump called,' Dagens Naeringsliv reported, citing unnamed sources. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'He wanted the Nobel Prize – and to discuss tariffs.' With hundreds of candidates nominated each year, laureates are chosen by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, whose five members are appointed by Norway's parliament according to the will of Swedish 19th century industrialist Alfred Nobel. The announcement comes in October in Oslo. The Norwegian newspaper said it was not the first time Trump had brought up the prize in conversation with Stoltenberg, a former secretary general of the NATO military alliance. It quoted Stoltenberg as saying the call was to discuss trade tariffs and economic cooperation ahead of Trump's call with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Stoere. Asked if Trump made the Nobel prize an issue, Stoltenberg said: 'I will not go further into the content of the conversation.' Several White House officials, including US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer were on the call, Stoltenberg said. The White House on July 31 announced a 15% tariff on imports from Norway, the same as the European Union. Stoltenberg said on Wednesday that Norway and the United States were still in talks regarding the tariffs. With inputs from agencies
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
21 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Crude oil prices rise as US Fed rate cut, Trump-Putin talks loom
Oil prices rose about 1% on Thursday after U.S. President Donald Trump warned of "severe consequences" if his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Ukraine fail and on expectations that a U.S. interest rate cut next month could spur oil demand. Central banks, like the U.S. Federal Reserve, use interest rates to control inflation. Lower interest rates reduce consumer borrowing costs and can boost economic growth and demand for oil. Brent crude futures were up 87 cents, or 1.3%, to $66.50 a barrel at 10:53 a.m. EDT (1453 GMT), while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 88 cents, or 1.4%, to $63.53. Those price gains pushed both crude benchmarks out of technically oversold territory for the first time in three days. Brent closed on Tuesday at its lowest price since June 5 and WTI closed at its lowest price since June 2 due in part to bearish inventory and supply data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration and the International Energy Agency. [EIA/S] Putin on Thursday praised "sincere efforts" by the U.S. to end the war in Ukraine and floated the prospect of a nuclear arms deal ahead of a summit on Friday in Alaska with Trump. U.S. allies in Europe have urged Trump to stand firm. Russia was the second-biggest producer of crude in 2024 behind the U.S., so any agreement that may ease sanctions on Moscow would likely boost the amount of Russian oil available for export to global markets. Trump on Wednesday threatened "severe consequences" if Putin does not agree to peace in Ukraine. The U.S. president did not specify what the consequences could be, but he has warned of economic sanctions if the meeting on Friday proves fruitless. Trump has threatened to enact secondary tariffs on buyers of Russian crude, primarily China and India, if Russia continues its war in Ukraine. "The uncertainty of U.S.-Russia peace talks continues to add a bullish risk premium given Russian oil buyers could face more economic pressure," Rystad Energy said in a client note. Some analysts, however, remained sceptical that Trump would take action that could significantly disrupt oil supplies. FED RATE CUT Expectations that the Fed will cut interest rates in September also propped up oil prices. Traders overwhelmingly believe a cut will happen next month after U.S. consumer prices increased at a moderate pace in July. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he thought an aggressive half-percentage-point cut was possible given recent weak employment numbers. But a jump in U.S. wholesale prices last month looks to have all but erased the possibility that the Fed will deliver a jumbo-sized half-percentage-point interest rate cut in September, though expectations for a quarter-percentage-point move next month, followed by another in October, remain intact. San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly has pushed back against the need for a 50-basis-point rate cut at the U.S. central bank's September 16-17 meeting, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. In Europe, meanwhile, Norwegian oil and gas investments are expected to peak this year, and start declining next year as major projects are completed, a statistics office survey of industry players showed on Thursday. Norway produces about 2% of global oil. It became Europe's largest supplier of pipeline gas after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
