People Think Before and After Photos of Oval Office Show How Trump ‘Bankrupted So Many Casinos’

Two photos tell a story that has social media buzzing. Side by side, they show the same room seven months apart. One displays clean white walls and modest furniture. Another reveals a golden palace that would make Versailles jealous. Between these images lies a tale of presidential taste, business failures, and a viral theory connecting past bankruptcies to present decorating choices.

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America’s most powerful office has undergone an extreme makeover. Every surface now gleams with gold. Door frames shimmer. Ceiling trim catches light. Even carved cherubs wear golden coats. What once served as a simple workspace now resembles a luxury hotel lobby or high-end casino floor.

Gold Rush Transforms Presidential Workspace

Seven months into his second term, Donald Trump has applied his signature touch to the Oval Office. Gone are Joe Biden’s understated white walls and minimal artwork. In their place stands a monument to opulence that reflects the 47th president’s real estate and hospitality background.

Gold coasters bearing Trump’s name sit ready for visitors. Trophies and vases multiply across the mantelpiece like golden mushrooms after rain. Twenty presidential portraits now crowd walls that once held just six paintings during Biden’s tenure. Barack Obama displayed pictures of only two former presidents during his presidency.

Every detail receives gold treatment. Ceiling trim gleams. Door frames sparkle. Sculptured cherubim inside doorways wear fresh golden paint. A White House spokesperson confirmed Trump paid personally for all gold modifications, describing them as “of the highest quality.”

John Icart, Trump’s personal “gold guy,” flew to Washington on Air Force One to bring his specialized skills to the project. At 70 years old, this Florida cabinet maker had previously worked on Trump’s Mar-a-Lago mansion. His gilded carvings prompted White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt to describe the result as a “golden office for the golden age.”

Among the growing collection of golden artifacts sits a replica FIFA World Cup trophy. Trump’s request to keep the original was denied, but the fake version “fits very well” with his new decor scheme, according to the president himself.

Atlantic City Bankruptcy Trail Haunts Golden Palace

Before politics called, Trump built a casino empire along Atlantic City’s boardwalk. The Trump Plaza Hotel opened in 1984. Trump’s Castle (later Trump Marina) followed in 1985. The massive Trump Taj Mahal Casino completed the trilogy in 1990.

Success proved fleeting. Trump’s ventures collapsed in spectacular fashion with six separate bankruptcy filings. The carnage began early: Trump Taj Mahal filed for Chapter 11 in 1991, followed by Trump Castle and Trump Plaza both filing in 1992. That same year, his Plaza Hotel in New York also went under. The bleeding continued into the 2000s when Trump Hotels and Casinos Resorts filed in 2004, and Trump Entertainment Resorts followed suit in 2009. By 2016, most casino properties had closed. Some found new owners. Others became derelict buildings dotting the boardwalk like broken teeth in a smile.

Trump personally walked away from the mess, leaving others to deal with the aftermath. The former Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino stood as an “eyesore” until demolition crews brought it down in 2021.

Social Media Connects Dots Between Failed Casinos and Golden Office

Before and after photos of the Oval Office sparked online debate about presidential taste and business judgment. Podcaster Brian Allen’s viral tweet captured widespread sentiment: “Not hard to see how he bankrupted so many casinos. These are the same rooms btw.”

Critics pounced on the visual evidence. One commenter observed that “reverent dignity replaced with gaudy insecurity.” Another questioned the appropriateness of turning a serious workspace into what resembled “a leisure palace or a gaudy casino.”

Comparisons flew across social media platforms. Musician Jack White called the room “vulgar” and “gaudy,” comparing it to a professional wrestler’s dressing room. Reporter Jon Keegan noted that decorative medallions bore suspicious resemblance to “Foam Veneer Accessories” available from Chinese e-commerce sites for just $1 each.

Other critics suggested the makeover looked like “a fire sale at Poundland.” Comments poured in questioning whether gold-plated surfaces belonged in a room where critical diplomatic meetings take place.

Not everyone joined the pile-on. Some defended the changes, arguing Biden’s previous decor “looked like it was taken in a funeral home.” These supporters acknowledged Trump “went a little overboard on the gold” but considered the result an improvement over sterile white walls.

Trump Defends Gold Investment as Presidential Necessity

Facing criticism, Trump mounted a vigorous defense of his decorating choices. He claimed the previous setup was “dirty, not clean” and “not appropriate for the Oval Office.” According to the president, immediate changes were necessary to make the space “representative” of American power.

“There’s nothing like gold, and there’s nothing like solid gold,” Trump declared while showing off his renovated office. He emphasized the personal financial commitment behind each golden touch, noting he “can’t tell you how much that gold costs” but confirming it required “a lot of money.”

Plans extend beyond the Oval Office. Trump eyes a $200 million ballroom addition to the East Wing. He has already paved over portions of the Rose Garden lawn, continuing his transformation of White House grounds.

When appealing to FIFA President Gianni Infantino about keeping the World Cup trophy, Trump pointed out how well it matched his golden theme. “You see the way this is looking nice?” he asked, highlighting the careful coordination of his decorative scheme.

Design Choices Reveal Leadership Priorities

Presidential office decoration carries symbolic weight. Each occupant traditionally adjusts the space to reflect personal values and national vision. Obama prized a handmade Michigan carpet featuring quotes from American leaders. Martin Luther King’s words circled the perimeter: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.”

Trump jettisoned Obama’s meaningful carpet for floor covering with a golden tinge. He replaced thoughtful symbolism with personal branding that mirrors his private properties.

Versailles Hall of Mirrors inspired Trump’s aesthetic choices. He previously bragged that his Florida ballroom was modeled on the French palace. Now he brings that same European royal aesthetic to America’s seat of power.

White House historical collections provided some golden artifacts adorning the mantelpiece. A 19th-century French compotier sits alongside gilded urns given to President James Monroe and silver pieces dating to the Eisenhower administration. These legitimate pieces mix with newer additions in a display that prioritizes visual impact over historical significance.

What Golden Fever Reveals About Presidential Character

Trump’s Oval Office makeover breaks with tradition in scale and style. Previous presidents made modest adjustments. None transported their personal home aesthetic so completely to Washington. No commander-in-chief has covered every available surface with a single color.

Critics argue the changes reflect poor judgment and misplaced priorities. They point to Atlantic City casino failures as evidence that Trump’s decorating instincts led to business disasters. If golden excess contributed to bankruptcy in New Jersey, they wonder, what might it mean for America?

Supporters counter that the changes project strength and success. They see golden surfaces as symbols of prosperity and American greatness. From their view, modest white walls suggested weakness where gold conveys power.

The debate extends beyond interior design to questions about leadership style and national image. Does a golden Oval Office inspire respect from foreign leaders or invite ridicule? Do shimmering surfaces enhance America’s global standing or diminish diplomatic credibility?

As Trump settles into his second term, the golden office serves as a daily reminder of his approach to power. Every gleaming surface reflects a president who believes in leaving his mark, regardless of criticism or convention. Whether that mark represents success or excess remains for history to judge.

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Michelle

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