Donald Trump and his administration are a team that knows it all too well! Not just issuing erratic policies every month or changing decisions overnight, but also interior design skills. While First Lady Melania Trump had taken the lead in White House décor, Donald Trump appears to have claimed that role for himself. And judging by his over-the-top taste, it’s safe to say subtlety isn’t on his radar.
While Melania Trump hasn’t exactly earned praise for her fashion choices during this second White House stint, it’s hard to imagine even she’s on board with her husband’s latest fixation: covering the White House in gold.
Although Donald Trump was reportedly blocked from installing a gaudy chandelier in the Oval Office, that hasn’t stopped him from transforming parts of it into what some are calling “Trump Tower 2.0.”
As per The List, the junk food lover just proved that being wealthy does not mean having good taste in choices. In a time of national and global challenges, you might expect the president to lead a serious Cabinet discussion. But during the July 8 meeting, Trump jumped off topic to focus on interior design.
“When will the White House get its next gold leaf update?” he asked. “It’s been… uh… it’s been really something. The only question is — will I gold leaf the corners? My Cabinet can take a vote,” he added as he looked at the molding.
🇺🇸✨President Trump just unveiled a historic transformation inside the White House! 🇺🇸✨
🔹 The Declaration of Independence now stands proudly in its rightful place. “WE THE PEOPLE”
🔹 Golden angels from Mar-a-Lago symbolize the dawn of a new era.
🔹 Restored and displayed:… https://t.co/ziYDv9TXPg— Echo 𝕏 (@echodatruth) March 20, 2025
While Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth both of whom seemed completely unamused, Donald Trump praised the look and feel of the gold color. He said, “They’ve never found a paint that looks like gold. You can see that in the Oval Office,”
the cabinet meeting is now off the rails: “The only question is will I gold leaf the corners? My cabinet could take a vote. You see the top line mouldings.” pic.twitter.com/4bId0fQRv3
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 8, 2025
He explained, encouraging his team to raise their hands if they supported the idea. As usual, his curiosity led to comments on X( formerly Twitter). People mocked his empathy towards the current political situation in the country. One user wrote, “$37 trillion in debt, the middle class is being wiped out, and he’s talking about gold-leafing the corners of a room.” Another wrote, Hard to believe, isn’t it?
Meanwhile, on Monday, during a visit from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, new photos of Trump’s Oval Office raised eyebrows on social media. The office is filled with gold from top to bottom, which includes gold-accented side tables supported by eagle bases, a gallery wall with portrait frames, and flashy decorations near the fireplace.
— Alexis Martial (@PlixoSgp) April 8, 2025
Donald Trump’s present office looks like a temple, or rather, shows an image where he seems obsessed with showing his wealth. AP reporter Michelle Price shared side-by-side images comparing Donald Trump’s choices to former President Joe Biden, who made more subtle and formal decisions. In addition, Barack Obama also had the space with neutral wallpaper and limited the artwork to portraits of American founders like Alexander Hamilton and George Washington. (via MSN).
This picture from the White House really shows how many gold accents have been added to the Oval Office. This is how it looked last year: https://t.co/Y2auT8fjTg pic.twitter.com/GCXoyunFjf
— Michelle L. Price (@michellelprice) April 7, 2025
It seems like the 79-year-old president is not keen to follow the basic design fundamental, “less is more,” and just like his PR tactics and leadership style, his office now looks less like a President’s office and more like a palace of an old king where dancers would be ready to perform.
In a recent interview with Laura Ingraham, Donald Trump proudly talked about the aesthetics of the Oval Office. He said, “You had some of those paintings in vaults and safes for 100 years!” (Though it’s unclear whether that’s true.) He also shared what he called a “little secret”: “You’ve never been able to match gold with gold paint. That’s why it’s gold.”
Users on X showed their disgust at the interiors of the Oval Office and wrote, “Gaudy and tacky AF, just like Trump is.” Another wrote, “He has zero taste. It’s tacky,” A third one added, “On the plus side, he’ll probably take all this gold crap with him when he leaves to decorate a bathroom or something”.
Gaudy and tacky AF, just like Trump is.
— Squirrelgirl 🐿🌻 (@Squirrelgirl510) April 9, 2025
Therefore, his gaudy interior décor choices surely rank low compared to the other presidents in history. Still, we can’t blame him as his flashy décor, large energetic rallies and parades, and the controversial press briefings seem like a part of his MAGA philosophy and branding now.
