Trump puts Oval Office under new preservation rules
U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation designating the Oval Office and adjoining rooms as a national monument, introducing new preservation requirements for future changes to the historic space, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
The proclamation, signed on November 5, establishes the Oval Office National Monument under the Antiquities Act. It covers the Oval Office itself, the Outer Oval Office and the Cabinet Room.
SIGNED: Designating the Oval Office as a National Monument, protecting the historic office for good. 🇺🇸 https://t.co/x10uKg1AUe
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) November 6, 2026
Under the order, the Department of the Interior, through the National Park Service, will oversee the monument's preservation. It must develop a management plan, document and review proposed major alterations, and assess whether changes would affect the rooms' historic character.
The proclamation describes the Oval Office as a site of major national and international decisions and a symbol of the American presidency.
However, the designation does not prevent the president from redecorating the office, choosing furniture or making routine operational and security changes. Such modifications are permitted as long as they do not substantially damage its historic structure or architectural character.
The order also states that it does not change existing legal exemptions for the White House under the National Historic Preservation Act or limit Congress's authority over federal property.
The Oval Office, in its current location and form, dates to the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Its oval design was first introduced in the West Wing under President William Howard Taft and refined in the early 1930s.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that U.S. President Donald Trump said that Washington would end roughly $4 billion in annual aid to Israel at the end of 2026.