Trump mocked as he floats gold-leaf Oval Office makeover in cabinet meeting while rebuffing Epstein query

WASHINGTON, DC: While pressing national issues mount, President Donald Trump’s fixation on White House decor, particularly gold accents, has become a headline of its own.

During a recent cabinet meeting, the president appeared far more focused on interior design than matters of governance, sparking concern and mockery online.

Trump, whose signature style is synonymous with opulent, gilded aesthetics, has already overseen notable changes to the White House's appearance during his second term. But his July 8 remarks suggest his ambitions for gold-plated grandeur are far from over.

Trump floats gold-leaf makeover for Oval Office during cabinet meeting, stuns attendees

In the middle of a high-level cabinet meeting, Trump abruptly shifted the discussion to the look of the Oval Office.

"It's been... uh... it's been really something," Trump said, referring to the walls being painted beige. He then posed a peculiar question to his team: "The only question is — will I gold leaf the corners? ... My cabinet can take a vote."

With Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth seated on either side, both reportedly looking despondent, Trump continued his tangent, emphasizing his design preference, “They’ve never found a paint that looks like gold. You can see that in the Oval Office.”

He then asked those present to raise their hands if they supported adding gold leaf to the molding.

Social media reacts to President's priorities

As word of the meeting circulated, users on X (formerly Twitter) voiced alarm over the president’s continued focus on White House aesthetics amid larger crises.

"$37 Trillion dollars in debt, middle class getting wiped out, and he's talking about gold-leafing the corners of a room," one user wrote.

Another said, "How can you disregard Epstein's list as unimportant old news and talk about Grandfather clocks, gold leaf trim, ceiling lamp medallions and 120 year old paintings?"

Others criticized the former president’s long-known taste for extravagance.

"Wait, what??? he just said there were more important things going on than the Epstein files and he's talking about gold-leafing the ceiling. WTF has happened to Trump?" one wondered.

One said, "What the actual is going on? The world is in a bit of a state to put it mildly and he’s talking decor tasteless by the way…"

"What the f**k...is this for real or some made up AI shit. Is this bozo actually saying these words. With all the s**t going around - his buddy Putin dropping bombs, his other buddy Netanyahu busy amputating kids in Gaza, he wants household decoration tips. I suggest bright pink," anther noted.

"He just said minutes ago that this is not the best time to ask questions about the Epstein list cover-up and now he’s talking about interior design," one snarked.

A moment during the meeting reportedly showed Marco Rubio appearing uneasy, prompting another sharp response, "Marco Rubio looks extremely uncomfortable. I don't blame him. Is Trump losing it like Biden? His words and actions today have been inappropriate to say the very least."

Trump's track record for prioritizing extravagant decor has led some to dub the updated Oval Office “Trump Tower 2.0,” with critics suggesting his taste proves that “money can’t buy taste."

Melania silent as Trump takes reins on White House redesign, gilded plans raise eyebrows

Traditionally, the first lady oversees White House decor, but that role appears to have been overtaken by the president himself in this administration.

Despite Melania Trump’s presence in the East Wing, she has remained publicly silent on her husband’s gold-centric redesign plans.

Considering what critics have described as Melania’s “fashion fails” since returning to the White House, speculation has emerged about whether she genuinely supports her husband’s gilded preferences, or if she simply believes that, when it comes to his design ideas, silence is golden.

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