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US President Donald Trump signed an executive order, which, according to him, will not allow future presidents to make certain changes to the Oval Office of the White House.
The US president's official study office - which Trump renovated - has now been declared a national monument.
“We are giving it the status of a national monument, and no one will be allowed to touch it, destroy it or tear it down like some stupid people who want to build something of a different shape might,” Trump told reporters on Thursday.
It is unclear whether a future president will be able to reverse this decision or whether it could be challenged in court.
The document clarifies that it does not “limit the President’s authority to update the interior of the monument, select furnishings, or make routine changes related to operation and safety, if such actions do not cause significant damage to the historical structure or architectural appearance of the monument.”
“We love the Oval Office; it, like the White House itself, is a symbol—a symbol of our country and its greatness,” Trump said, adding that world leaders visiting the office in recent months have praised the decorative changes he has made.
Trump said the White House and Oval Office were in need of repairs and were in "severely damaged" condition before the renovation. He mentioned broken windows, cracks in the walls and damaged stone elements.
Trump's changes to the White House include gold "Oval Office" lettering at the entrance to the office, replacing the Rose Garden lawn with paving stones and building a new helipad.
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Trump said his executive order "will make it impossible for anyone in the future to destroy this incredible space."
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The entire White House building already has the status of a National Historic Landmark. Currently, US presidents have the right to make some changes to its appearance, but large-scale projects require Congressional approval.
A few months ago, Trump ordered the complete dismantling of the East Wing of the White House. The project was not approved by the US Congress. Construction work is currently underway there, with plans to turn this space into a new ballroom.
As president, Trump has the authority to create national monuments, sites whose status is similar to that of national parks.
Trump's executive order requires the National Park Service to maintain the office "in a manner that preserves its historic character, architectural integrity, and connection to the institution of the presidency."
The document refers to existing protections for the White House, but notes that "the Oval Office deserves special recognition and special protection as a national historic site in its own right."
Congress provided an exception to the Historic Preservation Act to allow presidents to make necessary changes. The current Oval Office has been in existence since the early 1930s, created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Greg Werkheiser of the historic preservation law firm Cultural Heritage Partners told the BBC that temporary changes - such as replacing furniture or decorative elements - are "entirely at the discretion of the president."
"As long as it doesn't damage permanent works of art or architectural elements, the president can essentially do whatever he wants," he explained.
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According to the expert, the Trump administration is showing disdain for other historical sites in Washington and, through lawsuits, is trying to undermine legislation requiring their preservation.
Werkheiser called Trump's order "hypocrisy," citing projects he was trying to promote, including plans for a new Arc de Triomphe and the renovation of the Kennedy Center.
The so-called “Arch of Trump” (by analogy with the famous Arc de Triomphe in Paris) is intended as a monument to American history and veterans in honor of the country's 250th anniversary, but opponents of the project say it will block views of Arlington National Cemetery, the resting place of thousands of American soldiers and military personnel.
The Arc de Triomphe has a dual purpose: among other things, it should become a complex for storing military equipment, equipped to accommodate snipers and launch drones.
Construction of the arch could begin as early as this week. The National Capital Planning Commission approved it by an 8-4 vote, but in early November a federal judge ordered a 14-day suspension of any work on the arch.
"On the one hand, he talks about the importance of preserving the Oval Office - which is legally meaningless because he can't do it - and on the other hand, he actually destroys the law that allows us to preserve other historical objects," Werkheiser points out.
Trump has embarked on a massive "beautification" project in Washington and held three events over the past week to show off the results - even as his Republican Party suffered a crushing defeat by Democrats in the midterm elections.
During the election campaign, Democrats criticized Trump's proposed changes, in particular, former President Barack Obama noted that these “golden” innovations made the White House look “like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory.”
In an interview with Time magazine in October, the president suggested that the Oval Office might have to be demolished for security reasons, which the US Secret Service has insisted on.
"I said, 'Screw it! You can't build a new one. This is a special place,'" Trump said at the time.
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