U.S. President Donald Trump’s love for ‘gold’ continues in the White House. After returning to the White House, President Trump added golden sculptures and gold moldings throughout the Oval Office. Recently, there has been work underway to add gold borders to the official presidential portraits that hang in hundreds of federal buildings.
According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 16th (local time), the U.S. Government Publishing Office, responsible for printing official presidential portraits, received a request from the White House last month to print portraits of President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance with gold borders that reflect light. As a result, the printing office had to change the previously printed photos with white borders to gold borders, delaying the portrait printing process.
Since his inauguration, President Trump has decorated the Oval Office in gold for about three months. He hired John Ikart, a so-called 'gold expert' from Florida, instructing him to add custom gold finishes to the Oval Office. According to sources cited by the WSJ, Ikart visited Washington with President Trump aboard the presidential plane, 'Air Force One.'
Officials from the Trump administration stated, 'President Trump personally oversaw the installation of gold sculptures on the mantel of the Oval Office fireplace.' The president brought gold angel statues he used at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, to the White House and placed a gold FIFA World Cup trophy next to his desk.
Earlier, in an interview with Fox News last month, President Trump said, 'People tried to create gold paint that looked like gold, but ultimately failed,' adding, 'Since we couldn't express gold with gold paint, we used gold decorations.'
In fact, President Trump’s attachment to gold has lasted for decades. His apartment on the top three floors of Trump Tower in New York, which has often appeared in magazines for years, is also decorated in gold, and the Mar-a-Lago resort is covered in gold from the ceilings, walls, frames, to desks. Ikart is also known to have participated in several gold-related projects at Mar-a-Lago.
As President Trump’s fondness for gold became well-known, foreign leaders also presented him with gold-decorated gifts. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gifted President Trump a gold-colored beeper, commemorating Israel’s attack on Hezbollah last year using explosive electronic devices. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba presented President Trump with a gold samurai helmet when they met last February.
Meanwhile, President Trump’s extensive renovations to the White House this time contrast sharply with his first term. During his first term, President Trump made only small changes, such as changing the paintings in the Oval Office and replacing the flags. However, after his return, the president has begun to envision major changes to the White House, including the Oval Office, according to officials.
President Trump suggested creating a terrace in the White House Rose Garden for outdoor dining and parties. He also mentioned that women’s high heels could get caught in the grass of the Rose Garden. The WSJ reported, citing administration officials, that 'President Trump held several meetings with architects and related people regarding the installation of the terrace in the Rose Garden.'