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Obama Mocks Trump’s Gold-Laden Oval Office Redesign

8/12/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Barack Obama mocked Donald Trump's gold Oval Office makeover in an HBO Max clip.
U.S. President Donald Trump added 24-karat gold-leaf appliqués, ceiling accents, and a gold-plated doorframe to the Oval Office.
U.S. President Donald Trump replied that Washington, D.C. looks “better than ever” after his gold-infused makeover.
A gold-script sign reading “The Oval Office” was installed near the Rose Garden in December.

History

Historical Context

Presidential décor has long sparked debate. In 1877 Rutherford B. Hayes turned the west greenhouse into a Palm Court, cutting new stone doors to the State Dining Room, a precedent echoed by later makeovers such as the Reagan administration’s 1981 fundraising that raised $822,641 for a $730,000 private-quarter renovation. Trump’s 2020 gold-leaf Oval Office revamp, mocked by Barack Obama, follows this tradition.

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Story summary

Barack Obama mocked Donald Trump's gold Oval Office makeover in an HBO Max clip.
U.S. President Donald Trump added 24-karat gold-leaf appliqués, ceiling accents, and a gold-plated doorframe to the Oval Office.
U.S. President Donald Trump replied that Washington, D.C. looks “better than ever” after his gold-infused makeover.
A gold-script sign reading “The Oval Office” was installed near the Rose Garden in December.

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