A new book by New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, "Regime Change," describes Donald Trump reshaping the White House to suit his tastes, often without regard for preservation or protocol. One of the book’s most striking claims is that White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt entered the Oval Office one morning and found Trump personally using super glue to attach cheap gold ornaments to the historic marble fireplace, alarming conservation experts who fear irreversible damage.
The authors say Trump’s conduct reflects a broader willingness to ignore norms, including aesthetic and preservation rules. According to the book, his freedom to alter the residence expanded while Melania Trump was away from Washington. In her absence, he reportedly took items she had designed for her private rooms, moved a gold-framed mirror into an exterior hallway, and used it as a selfie backdrop.
The most dramatic changes are said to be taking place out of public view. The East Wing has been demolished to make room for a grand banquet hall estimated at $400 million. In his private bathroom, Trump reportedly ordered wall-to-wall carpeting instead of a standard bath mat, and maintenance crews now replace wet sections every day to prevent mold.
The book also says Trump is already thinking about possible successors, including Marco Rubio and J.D. Vance, but does not seem worried that they would undo his gold-heavy imprint. When asked whether he feared a future president would remove the decorations, he dismissed the concern and said, "Cubans like gold," an apparent reference to Rubio. The authors portray Trump’s message as clear, the White House is his personal property and he intends to shape it as he wishes.
