President Donald Trump is taking steps to ensure that some of the most recognizable rooms in American government remain protected long after his administration leaves office.
Trump signed a proclamation Thursday designating the Oval Office, the Outer Oval Office and the Cabinet Room as a national monument and federal landmark, establishing a preservation measure intended to prevent future administrations from significantly altering the historic spaces.
Speaking to reporters from the Oval Office, Trump emphasized that the designation was designed to make the rooms permanently protected.
"It won't be able to be taken down, destroyed, touched or anything else," Trump said.
"It's actually called a national monument. It's a federal landmark. When completed … it'll make it impossible for anybody ever to destroy this incredible space," he added.
The move comes just two days after the midterm elections, in which Democrats secured enough seats to take control of Congress, setting up a new political landscape for the remainder of Trump's presidency.
Rather than slowing down, the president has continued highlighting his administration's construction, renovation and preservation initiatives at the White House.
Since returning to office in 2025, Trump has pursued an ambitious series of architectural projects intended to reshape prominent American landmarks and government spaces.
Among the proposals is a massive 250-foot triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery, a project that would add a striking architectural feature to the nation's capital.
Trump has also advanced proposals involving the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, including plans to rename and restructure the institution.
The latest proclamation adds another chapter to Trump's broader effort to leave a lasting architectural mark on Washington.
For Trump, the White House is more than an administrative headquarters. It is one of the most recognizable symbols of American leadership, history and national identity. His latest move seeks to ensure that key rooms associated with the presidency retain their place in that history, even as future administrations bring their own priorities and visions to the nation's capital.
