Donald Trump says he rejected Oval Office demolition: "nobody should be allowed to rip down"

In a Monday interview with Time conducted at the White House and released later in the week, President Donald Trump said he turned down a recommendation from the Secret Service to demolish and rebuild the Oval Office, insisting the historic space should be preserved. He said he has asked White House chief of staff Susie Wiles for months to issue a statement on protecting the room and designating it a federal landmark. Trump also highlighted recent decorative upgrades, including gold trim and a gilded presidential seal, and praised the Cabinet Room after what he described as extensive repairs. The president noted other alterations during his second term, such as converting the East Wing into a large ballroom, re‑paving the Rose Garden, and adding a helipad.