US President Donald Trump is busy transforming the White House in his spare time, adding gold accents to its interior, The Wall Street Journal reports. In recent weeks, Trump has transformed parts of the White House, making the residence more similar to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. To realize his vision, he hired designer John Icart, whom one of the president’s advisers called Trump’s “gold guy.” Icart, who has previously worked on projects at Mar-a-Lago, added gilded carvings on the fireplace and moldings to the Oval Office, administration officials said.
“This is a golden office for a golden age,” White House press secretary Caroline Levitt said in an email.
Visitors familiar with Mar-a-Lago have noted similarities to the gold elements in the White House. At the Florida club, gold dominates the ceilings, walls, picture frames and furniture. Mar-a-Lago’s original designer, Joseph Urban, was inspired by opulent European palaces.
Trump personally oversaw the installation of the gilded carvings on the Oval Office fireplace and brought gold cherubs from Mar-a-Lago. The mantel now features seven gold vases and urns, down from plants during the Biden administration and Trump’s first term. A recent visitor noticed a gold Trump crest above the door leading into the White House from the colonnade, and gold coasters bearing his name have appeared on end tables. Gold accents also adorn a table in the presidential dining room off the Oval Office.
Trump consulted with experts about replacing the chandelier in the Oval Office, but his proposed fixture was too heavy for the ceiling, the administration said.
Last month, the White House sent an unusual request to the Government Printing Office, which prints official portraits: Trump wanted his portrait to “shimmer.” The portraits of Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance are to be framed in a reflective gold frame using special gold ink and a printer, according to the administration. This has caused a delay because some of the portraits were already printed with a plain white frame.
Trump’s love of gold is well known, and foreign leaders have taken this into account when choosing gifts. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave him a gold pager, hinting at the operation against Hezbollah, and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba gave him a gold samurai helmet during a visit in February.
Trump spent his first term keeping a low profile on the White House, limiting himself to replacing paintings and installing new flags in the Oval Office. But the president is now determined to change the look of the residence, administration officials say.
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