Egypt Daily News – Donald Trump has vowed to lead the United States into a “new golden era,” and it seems he has begun fulfilling his promises just two months after taking office—starting with dazzling changes to the Oval Office.
The wealthy real estate mogul-turned-politician has filled the Oval Office, the hub of presidential activity where he hosts visitors, with gilded decorations and shiny coasters bearing his name. He has nearly covered the entire wall space with portraits of his predecessors in gold-colored frames.
It appears that the redecoration process is still in its early stages, with new pieces added weekly. The latest addition is a copy of the Declaration of Independence, which paved the way for the United States’ liberation from the British crown 250 years ago.
The 78-year-old president, known for his experience in television before his political career, is gradually transforming the Oval Office into a blend of a photo studio and an exclusive real estate property.
Peter Loge, director of the School of Media at George Washington University, states, “President Trump is playing the role of Donald Trump”—a figure from the world of real estate, television, and a life of luxury and opulence.
He added, “The show is the foundation. The glitz is part of the performance. It would be surprising if Trump didn’t turn the Oval Office into a TV set reflecting his brand.”
Former Presidents
However, Trump’s changes are not purely aesthetic.
The Oval Office is one of the most prominent symbols of American political power. It is where most of the president’s meetings with the press take place, and where he welcomes foreign leaders and officials—including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose recent visit was marked by a heated exchange in front of cameras between Trump and his vice president, J.D. Vance.
Adding a portrait of James K. Polk, the 19th-century president, was no coincidence. During the tenure of the 11th U.S. president, the country underwent its largest territorial expansion, acquiring vast lands along the West Coast, the Southwest, and Texas.
The inclusion of Polk’s portrait carries strong symbolism at a time when Trump is raising global concerns by openly discussing the annexation of Greenland, reclaiming the Panama Canal, taking control of Gaza, and making Canada a U.S. state.
Gold and Independence
U.S. presidents typically select most of the White House’s interior design elements from the same sources, including the residence’s collection of paintings and artifacts. However, each president often succeeds in leaving his personal touch.
The contrast between the Oval Office under Democratic President Joe Biden and Trump, who officially succeeded him on January 20, is stark.
Trump asked in a Fox News interview on Tuesday, “Do you think Joe Biden would have done that? I don’t think so,” as he unveiled the newly hung Declaration of Independence on the office wall.
During his term, Biden had placed portraits of five former presidents on the Oval Office’s fireplace wall. Trump has increased that number to nine—not including additional portraits placed around the room.
While Biden had placed a large green Swedish ivy plant atop the fireplace mantel, Trump replaced it with seven gilded artifacts, some dating back more than 200 years.
Trump kept the bust of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., which was present during Biden’s term. However, he also reinstated a bust of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, which he had placed in the office during his first term (2017-2021).
Are the lavish changes in the Oval Office surprising to anyone? Probably not, especially coming from a president who launched his first presidential campaign from a gold-plated escalator in Trump Tower, New York.
Trump is known for stamping his name on everything associated with him, from buildings to copies of the Bible. In any endeavor, he strives to reflect a mix of personal branding and power.
His political career has been no exception.
Recently, Trump has kept a large map of “America’s Gulf” in the White House—a reference to the Gulf of Mexico, which his administration has rebranded.
It is also rumored that he plans to pave stones in the Rose Garden, adjacent to the Oval Office, to make it resemble the courtyard of his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
One of Trump’s proudest additions, however, lies just outside the Oval Office. In the hallway near its entrance, he has hung the front page of a newspaper featuring his 2023 mugshot—taken when he was indicted for attempting to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia—framed in gold.
