On 8/7, US President Donald Trump held a 90-minute cabinet meeting covering topics such as flooding in Texas, conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, Iran, and global tariffs. The meeting then took an unexpected turn as Trump spent an additional 15 minutes discussing his changes to the Cabinet Room's decor.
Trump explained that he handpicked new artwork for the historic room because some previous portraits were "not very attractive."
"I chose each piece of artwork myself and I’m very proud of it," Trump told his cabinet, pointing around the room and explaining his rationale for selecting portraits of former presidents Andrew Jackson, James Polk, Franklin D. Roosevelt, George Washington, Dwight Eisenhower, John Adams, and John Quincy Adams.
"James Polk was a real estate guy," remarked Trump, a real estate developer himself.
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US President Donald Trump (center) presents the Cabinet Room decor during a cabinet meeting on 8/7. Photo: AFP |
US President Donald Trump (center) presents the Cabinet Room decor during a cabinet meeting on 8/7. Photo: AFP
However, Trump admitted his fondness for the new paintings stemmed from their frames. "Look at those frames, I’m a frame guy," he told his cabinet. "Sometimes I like the frame more than the painting."
The president then shifted his attention to the ceiling lights. "These lights are very important, whether you like them or not," he stated.
He asked his cabinet secretaries to raise their hands if they appreciated the gilded ceiling molding. The Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Defense complied, but others did not.
Noticing Secretary of State Marco Rubio pointing at the clock in the corner, Trump confessed to acquiring the "beautiful clock" from Rubio's office through persuasion and "a little pressure."
He added that as president, he could take anything he wanted from the State Department, the Commerce Department, or the Treasury Department. "That’s Marco’s contribution to the Cabinet Room," Trump said, laughing.
Since returning to the White House, Trump has redecorated the Oval Office and initiated renovations in the Rose Garden. He has also suggested the addition of a ballroom.
Huyen Le (The Hill, Washington Post)
