Since his return to office, President Donald Trump has wasted no time in reshaping the look and feel of the White House and now, the National Mall.
This week, Trump unveiled a new monument dubbed the “Arc de Trump,” which is planned to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary next year.
TRUMP REVEALS ARC DE TRIOMPHE-STYLE MONUMENT FOR AMERICA’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY
He said the large arch, a near twin of Paris’s iconic Arc de Triomphe, will welcome visitors crossing the Memorial Bridge from Arlington National Cemetery into the heart of the nation’s capital.
It is unclear when construction will begin and how much the arch will cost.
The gilded Oval Office
Trump’s taste for opulence is unmistakable in the Oval Office, where golden accents now decorate the nation’s most iconic workspace, a reflection of his personal style.
In March, Trump told Fox News host Laura Ingraham during a tour of the Oval Office that the room “needed a little life” when asked about the gold details.
“Throughout the years, people have tried to come up with a gold paint that would look like gold, and they’ve never been able to do it,” Trump told Ingraham.
TRUMP GAVE THE OVAL OFFICE A GILDED MAKEOVER – AND COVERED THE COST HIMSELF
“You’ve never been able to match gold with gold paint, that’s why it’s gold,” Trump added.
Since then, Trump has added gold accents throughout the Oval Office to include decorative details along the ceiling and around the doorway trim. Even the cherubs inside the door frames were given a gilded makeover.
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle previously told Fox News Digital that the gold Trump added to the Oval Office “is of the highest quality,” declining to provide further details.
The spokesperson also said that Trump personally covered the cost of the gold accents, though did not specify how much gold was added or how much Trump spent.
The White House ‘walk of fame’
Outside the Oval Office, the Trump administration unveiled the “Presidential Walk of Fame,” a series of portraits of past presidents now displayed along the West Wing colonnade.
The portrait of former President Joe Biden features his signature, created with an autopen, a machine that holds a pen and reproduces a person’s handwriting through programmed movements.
WHITE HOUSE UNVEILS PRESIDENTIAL WALK OF FAME WITH BIDEN PORTRAIT REPLACED BY AUTOPEN IMAGE
The Trump administration has also installed several large mirrors in gold frames along the walkway.
A new White House ballroom
On July 31, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the planned construction of a 90,000-square-foot ballroom. The sprawling ballroom will accommodate approximately 650 seated guests and will stay true to the classical design of the White House.
“The White House is currently unable to host major functions honoring world leaders in other countries without having to install a large and unsightly tent approximately 100 yards away from the main building’s entrance,” Leavitt said, adding the new ballroom will be “a much-needed and exquisite addition.”
SPRAWLING NEW $200M WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM TO BE PAID FOR BY TRUMP AND DONORS
The White House does not have a formal ballroom, and the new ballroom will take the place of the current East Wing of the White House.
Construction has already begun on the White House grounds and the estimated $200 million cost will be financed by Trump and private donors.
Soaring American flags on the White House lawn
Ahead of Independence Day, Trump also personally financed the installation of two 88-foot flagpoles with American flags flanking the White House, each reportedly costing around $50,000.
“President Trump personally paid to install two big, beautiful American Flags to wave proudly over the White House for years to come,” Ingle previously told Fox News Digital.
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“This is just one of many projects President Trump selflessly paid for to make the White House even more patriotic and beautiful,” Ingle added. The new flags on the North and South lawns were raised at a June 18 ceremony.
A paved Rose Garden lawn
Elsewhere on the grounds, Trump directed the addition of stone pavers to the Rose Garden lawn, a change designed to better accommodate press conferences and ceremonial events.
Framed by magnolia and crabapple trees, the Rose Garden has hosted everything from diplomatic welcomes to first lady initiatives.
The White House declined to say what additional renovation projects were in the works.
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