Photographs showing the transformation of the Oval Office have sparked a debate regarding Donald Trump’s past financial missteps in the casino business.
Before his foray into politics, Trump was a prominent figure in the real estate industry.
Over a ten-year span, he established a significant presence on Atlantic City’s boardwalk, starting with the Trump Plaza Hotel in 1984, followed by Trump’s Castle (later Trump Marina) a year later, and ultimately the massive Trump Taj Mahal Casino in 1990.
Unfortunately, these ventures were not sustainable, as Trump Entertainment Resorts filed for bankruptcy three times from 2004 to 2014.
By 2016, most of its casino locations had shut down. Trump had distanced himself from them, leaving some under new management while others became abandoned structures on the boardwalk.
It was only in 2021 that the former Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, considered an ‘eyesore,’ was demolished.
Now serving as the 47th President of the United States, Trump has made significant decorative changes to the White House, particularly adding opulence to the Oval Office in his preferred color scheme.
The room is now filled with gold-plated fixtures, fittings, and ornaments, creating a stark contrast to the less ornate design of his predecessor, Joe Biden.
The office is also densely packed with memorabilia, including embellished decorations on the fireplace, where trophies are displayed. Among these is a replica of the FIFA World Cup trophy, after Trump’s request to keep the original was refused.
Trump plans to continue his renovations with a $200 million ballroom in the East Wing and has already revamped the Rose Garden lawn. Critics suggest his taste in decor may reflect his history of financial instability.
In response to shared images of the Oval Office’s transformation, podcaster Brian Allen tweeted: “Not hard to see how he bankrupted so many casinos. These are the same rooms btw.”
Some agree that the new aesthetic is unsuitable for a presidential suite, describing it as “Reverent dignity replaced with gaudy insecurity.”
Another commented, “Countless critical meetings have been held there. It is a place of work, not a leisure palace or a gaudy casino.”
A third remark likened it to “a fire sale at Poundland.”
However, one person defended the redesign, saying: “I’m sorry but the picture on the left looks like it was taken in a funeral home. I do think he did go a little overboard on the gold but it was an improvement.”
When Trump asked FIFA President Gianni Infantino to ‘keep’ the original trophy, he claimed it ‘fits very well’ with the decor.
“You see the way this is looking nice?” said Trump. “I can’t tell you how much that gold costs—a lot of money. There’s nothing like gold, and there’s nothing like solid gold.”
Trump defended the makeover, stating the previous decor was not ‘representative’.
“When we took it over, it was dirty, not clean,” he explained. “I immediately changed the chair and had this beautiful desk renovated… This was not appropriate for the Oval Office when I took over.”