Trump designates Oval Office as a national monument
President Trump declares Oval Office, Cabinet Room national monument, citing preservation concerns.
President Trump in the Oval Office of the White House on Nov. 5, 2026 (Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026, designating the Oval Office, the Outer Oval Office, and the Cabinet Room as the Oval Office National Monument. The action was taken under the authority of the Antiquities Act.
The proclamation directs the Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum, to establish a management plan for the preservation of these areas. The directive requires that any substantial alterations to the rooms undergo a formal documentation and review process.
President Trump stated that the move is intended to protect the space from future changes. He indicated that he plans to submit the document to Congress for formal ratification.
Legal experts have noted that the long-term force of the proclamation remains unclear. The current designation does not prevent a future president from rolling back the order or modifying the interior design of the rooms, which have recently been updated with gold flourishes and new decor.