The latest viral photos out of the White House offer a peek inside the Oval Office under former President Joe Biden compared to under President Donald Trump, showcasing the stark difference between the two given Trump's obsession with wealth and opulence.
On Monday, the White House posted a photo on X (formerly Twitter) showing Trump’s Oval Office meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, framed by gold decor, ornate picture frames, and other lavish touches.
In contrast, the Associated Press’ Michelle L. Price shared an image of the same room under President Biden, revealing a more understated and neutral design.
You can see the differences below.
@michellelprice/X; @WhiteHouse/X
People immediately called out how tacky Trump's Oval Office is in comparison.
The Trump administration has previously come under fire for its changes to the White House's overall aesthetic, often done to the point of, critics say, disrespecting historical significance.
In 2021, then-former First Lady Melania Trump lashed out at Michael Beschloss, a prominent historian, after he criticized her sense of style while noting that a year had passed since her controversial renovation of the White House Rose Garden, which had been established by First Lady Ellen Wilson, wife of President Woodrow Wilson.
The renovation involved clearing nearly all of the garden’s existing plants, trees, and flowers, tearing out an outdated irrigation system to install a modern one, upgrading the audio/visual setup, adding new paver walkways, and replanting nearly everything from the ground up.
When it was unveiled, reactions were sharply divided—largely along partisan lines. Some viewed the redesign as a nod to Trump’s taste for opulence, while others accused Melania Trump of turning a lush garden into a shadow of what it once was.
Earlier this month, Trump himself was criticized after he took to Truth Social to announce he would chop down a magnolia tree that was planted next to the White House to commemorate President Andrew Jackson's late wife in the early 1800s, touting the move as one of the "tremendous enhancements" his administration has undertaken.
Trump announced that, following consultations with the Executive Residence Staff and the National Park Service, his administration has decided to replace the tree on the White House’s south side, citing safety concerns. The tree has historically served as a backdrop for past presidents greeting foreign dignitaries.
The tree’s seeds were originally brought to Washington from the Hermitage, Jackson’s home near Nashville, Tennessee. They were planted in memory of Jackson’s late wife, Rachel, who passed away just months before he took office.
