Trump declares Oval Office a national monument, criticises Hillary Clinton’s house
Donald Trump has declared the renovations he has made to the Oval Office and Cabinet Room as a national monument.
Days after his party was handed a historic election drubbing, Trump has renewed his focus on his renovations.
President Donald Trump speaks after signing an executive order in the Oval Office. AP Photo/Alex Brandon
"It won’t be able to be taken down or destroyed, touched or anything else. It’s called actually a national monument. It’s a federal landmark," he said.
"It’ll make it impossible for anybody to ever destroy this incredible space."
The proclamation signed by Trump may not be legally binding.
Trump has been criticised for his apparent obsession with covering the White House interiors with gold.
He directed reporters to take note of the chandeliers in the Cabinet Room.
When he was told about Hillary Clinton’s criticism of his Oval Office aesthetic, Trump hit back.
"I don't like her house either. I know her house very well. The Oval Office is a place of victory," he said.
"See the white wall? There’s no gold on that. The exterior of the White House, there’s no gold."
He also criticised Barack Obama, who had mocked his renovations on the campaign trail.
"Obama doesn't know about dirt and filth, and he doesn't know about cracked stone and he doesn't know about broken windows," Trump said.
"He's probably fine with them, but I'm not."
Former president Barack Obama. AP Photo/Paul Sancya
Obama had said Trump's renovations were "looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory".
The Cheesecake Factory is a restaurant chain in the US known for its garish decor.
Trump's renovations to the White House and other parts of Washington DC has a strong disapproval rating among voters.
On the last day of the campaign, Trump spent nearly half an hour speaking at an event about his upgrades to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
"I’ve kept every single promise I made, except far more," Trump said.
"I’ve actually kept far more promises than I made."
Democrats gained ground across the country in Tuesday's midterm elections.
But based on the current count, counties where Trump held rallies swung harder towards Democrats than counties where he didn't.
Trump dances as he departs after speaking at a campaign rally in Iowa on November 1. Jacquelyn Martin
And states where Trump did not campaign had a more muted swing to Democrats than states where he did.
The results were so strong for Democrats that a swath of politicians were swept into office after attracting zero attention during the campaign.
LaKesha Womack was outraised 34-to-one in a district in North Carolina rated "Solid Republican". But was declared the winner yesterday over heavyweight conservative Tim Moore.
And for the first time in Trump's presidency, every district that touches the Mexican border is now held by a Democrat.
Votes are still being counted in Senate races in Alaska and Mississippi, two ostensibly red states where Democratic candidates currently lead in the count.
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Trump declares Oval Office a national monument, criticises Hillary Clinton’s house