After returning to power for his second term, Donald Trump made significant changes to the White House, including decorating the Oval Office with gold accents, which received massive backlash on social media. The decor is dripping with gold, from the fireplace to the walls, reflecting the president’s lavish taste. Reportedly, he also compared his interior design skills to former President Obama’s choices during his tenure and claimed he did a better job of redecorating the Oval Office.
Nevertheless, Trump remains proud of his interior choices. According to recent news, he has another proposal, which includes constructing a $200 million, 90,000-square-foot ballroom to be added to the East Wing before the end of his four-year tenure in 2029. The ballroom, currently under construction, will be nearly twice the size of the main White House structure (estimated at 55,000 square feet).
According to The Irish Star, it is designed to seat up to 650 guests and features neoclassical elements, including chandeliers, coffered ceilings, Corinthian columns, and extensive gold accents. The layout for the ballroom is being led by McCrery Architects, whose founder, James McCrery, served on the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts after being appointed by Trump in 2019.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the funds for this extravagant construction are not from foreign sources or taxpayers’ money but from Trump’s personal funds and private donations. However, donors have not been officially disclosed. Reports cite major corporate contributors, including Google, R.J. Reynolds, Lockheed Martin, Booz Allen Hamilton, Palantir, and NextEra Energy.
The 79-year-old decor enthusiast also oversaw renovations to the Rose Garden in the White House, which was first established in 1913. It was renovated in the Kennedy era in 1961 and used for media events. Trump reportedly had the walkway repaved to make it easier for women in high heels to walk without difficulty.
The paving was also done to create a patio similar to his Palm Beach Mar-a-Lago home in Florida. He also added a new sound system near the Oval Office, which will be used for media events and receptions. The Rose Garden renovation finished last month, and a press tour was held on August 19, 2025.
Meanwhile, Trump also revealed the newly constructed the “Presidential Walk of Fame” at the White House. It features gold-framed portraits of all the past U.S. presidents. The display, housed along the iconic West Wing Colonnade that connects the Executive Residence to the Oval Office, includes portraits of former leaders such as Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter and two images of himself, once for his 45th presidency and then for his 47th.
The republican candidate also has an image, including his famous assassination attempt image from Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024. The picture has a raised fist with words captured during the assassination attempt: “Fight! Fight! Fight!” Despite widespread criticism, Trump remains adamant about doing things his way.
While this stubborn quality may seem very negative to many, it could also reflect confidence in his decisions (though some view it as a desperate attempt to grab the spotlight). Overall, updating the interior over time is acceptable, as long as the historical essence of the White House is preserved.
