Donald Trump has taken his passion for interior design a little too far! After renovating the infamous Rose Garden in the White House and decorating the Oval Office with gold accents that received massive backlash on social media, the former real estate mogul wants every federal building to look like the White House. He signed a presidential order on Thursday titled ‘Making Federal Architecture Beautiful Again.’
The order was passed so that the other significant and essential buildings would match the aesthetics of the White House. He criticised the Design Excellence Program, launched in 1994 under President Bill Clinton, saying it led to federal buildings that may impress “architectural elites” but fail to resonate with the general public.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/coF3H_jx-Fo
As per The Daily Beast, “Many of these new federal buildings are not even visibly identifiable as civic buildings,” Trump said. His statement pointed towards the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) headquarters and the Robert C. Weaver Federal Building.
The Brutalist style of architecture, emphasising materials, textures, and construction, inspired these buildings. Virginia. HUD Secretary Scott Turner once remarked to Fox News that he was working in “the ugliest building in D.C.”
Critics of the Executive Order on classical architecture for Federal Buildings are peddling following:
1:The US has no official style of architecture
2:The US has never had an official style of architecture
3:That classicism is somehow fascist.Every one of these is false
1/ pic.twitter.com/NDcUee8AWA— Erik Bootsma🌸🇳🇱 (@ErikBootsma) December 22, 2020
President Trump believes these federal buildings should “embrace classical architecture to honor tradition, foster civic pride, and inspire the citizenry.” He urged everyone to take the White House and Capitol Building as the “preferred and default” architectural models. Trump, known to be a radical leader rooted in his traditional, strong mindset, loves building conventional architectural styles, and his agenda is to bring the essence back before his term ends.
According to a White House fact sheet, traditional architectural styles disappeared in the 1960s and were replaced by modernist and Brutalist designs. The fact sheet also claims that most of the American crowd were simple taxpayers who wanted classical, regionally inspired public buildings that beautified public spaces; hence, they were okay with minimal-style buildings.
Yet, Trump is adamant with his orders and has demanded that any new federal buildings featuring Brutalist, Deconstructivist, or other modernist styles be flagged for presidential review. Donald Trump wants the new buildings to relate to the general public, which consists of folks from the latest generation. But what’s funny is that his definition of “general public” does not include architects, engineers, critics, or even architecture professors or construction industry members.
His preferred architectural styles include Gothic, Romanesque, Second Empire, Pueblo Revival, and Spanish Colonial. Despite the series of mixed reviews, he reportedly does not like Deconstructivist architecture, with its fragmented, chaotic, and unstable-looking forms. Trump’s proposal includes constructing a $200 million, 90,000-square-foot ballroom to be added to the East Wing.
Karoline Leavitt claimed that the room where most of the formal functions take place will be approximately 90,000 square feet (8,360 square metres), with a seating capacity of 650.
BREAKING: We’re getting an expansion!
Beginning in September, construction will begin on a brand-new 90,000 square ft ballroom that will be enjoyed for generations to come. ✨
Visit https://t.co/fYztfJspLP for more information pic.twitter.com/SVvlaDpRmA
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) July 31, 2025
A series of mixed reviews on X suggested a divide in the crowd’s opinions regarding the decision. One user wrote, “America is in its golden age,” while another added, “37T in debt. This is not the time to be spending our money to entertain pe–philes.”
What do you think? Do you like Trump’s interior design choices or find them tacky like the rest?
