Trump Designates Oval Office and Cabinet Room as Monument

President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Thursday, November 5, designating the Oval Office, Outer Oval Office and Cabinet Room as a national monument. The action establishes a preservation framework for the White House spaces, requiring federal officials to plan for their management and review proposals for substantial changes. The proclamation invokes the Antiquities Act and directs the interior secretary, acting through the National Park Service, to prepare a management plan with the White House Office of Administration and other relevant agencies. The plan must prioritize the rooms’ structural and significant architectural features. Before a substantial alteration or demolition, officials must document and review the proposal, consider alternatives and assess the change against the monument’s national significance. The order does not freeze the rooms in their current appearance. It preserves presidential authority to redecorate, select furnishings and make ordinary operational or security changes, provided they do not substantially impair the historic structure or architectural character. The White House and its grounds already hold National Historic Landmark status;...