Trump renovates White House with gold accents, Rose Garden overhaul, and a $157 million ballroom planned

President Donald Trump is overseeing a sweeping set of renovations at the White House, including a gilded Oval Office, a redesigned Rose Garden, and a plan to build a 90,000-square-foot ballroom on the South Lawn, funded largely by private donors.

The Oval Office has undergone a dramatic transformation with 24-carat gold accents, gilded mantels, and gold coasters bearing Trump’s name. The desk’s familiar Diet Coke button is now encased in gold and sits atop a wooden control box bearing the presidential seal. Trump has said the room needed “a little life,” and aides have described the redesign as a project that reflects his preferences for a more ostentatious aesthetic. In public remarks, he has treated the embellishments as a natural extension of his personal brand of decor, occasionally joking that some features are solid gold rather than gold-painted.

Florida cabinetmaker John Icart, who worked on Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, was commissioned to install gold cherubs and other gilded accents in the Oval Office, along with gilded carvings around the mantel and gold mouldings on the walls and ceiling to match gold curtains that date from the previous administration. Officials say Trump personally oversaw the changes, including plastering more portraits of former presidents in ornate gold frames. A large gold FIFA World Cup trophy now sits on the Resolute Desk, and gold coasters bearing Trump’s name grace side tables. Some elements have drawn sharp public scrutiny, with critics descriptions ranging from gaudy to ostentatious. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the Oval Office makeover, calling it “the Golden Office for the Golden Age.”

The Rose Garden has not been spared from high-profile edits. The lawn has been torn up and replaced with a concrete terrace and a white marble patio, a departure from the traditional grassy expanse. The new outdoor space includes umbrellas imported from Mar-a-Lago to shade outdoor tables and chairs for what has been dubbed the Rose Garden Club, a venue where the White House kitchen can cater official and private events. The Associated Press has referred to the space as Washington’s hottest club. The renovation was privately funded, with the Rose Garden project costing about £1.5 million beyond routine maintenance funded by donations to the Trust for the National Mall; the catering bill for events remains to be determined on an official basis.

In parallel, Trump’s biggest upcoming project is a 90,000-square-foot ballroom on the South Lawn, a massive addition that White House officials describe as a “much-needed and exquisite” entertaining space. Architects’ drawings show a white-and-gold interior with high ceilings, chandeliers, and tables adorned with gold candlesticks and cutlery. The ballroom is expected to seat roughly 900 people and has already attracted private donors who have pledged nearly £150 million to support the project, with the remainder to be funded by the President himself. The structure has grown beyond the original plans, and officials say it could end up larger than first announced.

The scope of the renovations has drawn mixed reactions. Critics have labeled the changes tacky and gaudy, arguing they move the White House away from its traditional, restrained grandeur. Columnists have weighed in on the trend, with one Washington Post writer describing the Oval Office as now evoking insecurity and petulance rather than gravitas. Online observers have pointed to inexpensive reproductions of some gilded elements that can be bought and spray-painted, highlighting the contrast between the real gilding and DIY facsimiles.

White House historian Kate Andersen Brower notes that several prior presidents altered the residence, but she cautions that Trump’s approach is unprecedented in scale and visibility. “He’s trying to leave his mark in a very physical way on the White House, unlike any other President in recent history,” she said, adding that the White House was not originally built to accommodate such large, permanent changes. Andersen Brower also warned about the potential governance questions raised by privately funded enhancements, noting that past presidents accepted external donations but often found ways to keep official costs off the taxpayer books while preserving historical integrity.

The administration contends that the program reflects Trump’s belief that the White House should project strength and modern relevance on the world stage. Trump has publicly criticized the building’s austere reputation, arguing that other heads of state live in more expansive, ornate residences when abroad. He has cited Buckingham Palace as an example of grand architecture and has said he should not be bound by “modest” traditions in a national home that carries symbolic weight for the United States.

Observers also point to a broader pattern: presidents historically have used private funds to supplement official renovations, with the White House Historical Association offering suggestions that presidents can choose to follow or ignore. The future of the changes, including whether a future administration would revert the interiors to a more traditional look, remains uncertain and would depend on political calculations and the availability of donor funds.

Beyond its symbolism, the renovations touch on practical questions about costs and oversight of official spaces that carry the weight of the nation’s institutions. As the project proceeds, the White House will be watched closely for how it balances historic preservation, ceremonial needs, and the perceptions of the American public about government expenditures.