Donald Trump‘s latest White House renovation has captured national attention, but one particular addition has social media users doing double takes and questioning the president’s priorities.
Among the extensive gold-trimmed modifications to the nation’s most famous residence, a strategically placed mirror has become the focal point of online discussions about presidential vanity and spending priorities.
The 47th president has transformed the Oval Office into a gilded showcase that bears a striking resemblance to his Trump Tower penthouse and Mar-a-Lago estate. The most talked-about feature is a giant gold mirror positioned on the West Wing colonnade, perfectly angled to allow Trump to see his reflection as he exits the Oval Office. This addition, along with extensive gold detailing throughout the workspace, has sparked widespread commentary about the intersection of personal taste and public office.
MSN readers weighed in and didn’t hold back their opinions on the renovations. One person said, “Picture of the new mirror shows it’s crooked. The frame is basic & looks like its painted with bad gold paint. Several paintings in the Oval Office look like they’re in bad gold frames too. “
Another reader commented, “He just wants to look at himself in the mirror. I love the way our tax money is paying for these changes. Don’t believe he’s paying for them. He’s paying for them out of the federal budget which is our tax money.”
The mirror has become a symbol of what critics view as excessive self-regard in the highest office.
The golden transformation extends far beyond the controversial mirror.
According to The Guardian, Trump enlisted John Icart, a 70-year-old cabinet maker from Florida, flying him to Washington on Air Force One to replicate the aesthetic flourishes found at Mar-a-Lago.
Talk about taking things too far. Look what Donald has done to the Oval Office. It looks like his ugly New York dwellings. A lot of fake gold everything. pic.twitter.com/hRDE9uea0b
— Jerseygirl #FBR 🟧 (@gggirl924) September 3, 2025
Gold trimming now adorns the Oval Office ceiling, door frames, and fireplace, while even the sculpted cherubim inside the door frames received the Midas touch. The mantel displays a growing collection of gold trophies, vases, and personalized coasters bearing Trump’s name.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the space as a “golden office for the golden age,” though critics have offered less flattering assessments. She has also described it as “MAGA gold.”
Question: What is Trump’s favorite room in the White House?
— Acyn (@Acyn) May 20, 2025
Leavitt: I think it’s the Oval Office because it’s so beautiful and he has decked it out in gold… MAGA gold pic.twitter.com/oRDq3VWmJO
The room now houses nearly 20 paintings of presidential predecessors, a significant increase from Joe Biden’s six and Barack Obama’s two.
Additional personal touches include Trump family photographs, a copy of the Declaration of Independence, and gifts from visitors, including the FIFA Club World Cup trophy.
The president’s affinity for gold dates back decades, most notably displayed in his Trump Tower apartment decorated to emulate the Palace of Versailles in 24-carat gold and marble. A White House spokesperson confirmed that all gold additions are “of the highest quality” and personally funded by Trump, though skeptics question this claim given the scope of planned renovations.
Public reaction has been swift and pointed.
“And Trump asks a question of the mirror, many times a day: ‘Mirror, mirror, with my face, Is anyone a greater disgrace?'” another social media user joked.
Someone else wrote, “You’d think Trump would want to avoid such an ugly reality. ‘a giant gold mirror on the West Wing colonnade that allows the [convicted felon Trump] to see himself as he leaves the Oval Office.’”
The mirror has become a lightning rod for broader concerns about presidential priorities and public spending.
A resurfaced photograph from the Instagram account Xennialfarmer shows Trump and his first wife, Ivana, standing in what appears to be a grand ballroom adorned with extensive gold detailing. The image has many speculating about the inspiration behind the current White House renovations.
“Not enough money in the budget for food stamps, meals on wheels and Medicaid but we can find $200 million to renovate a ballroom, pave over the Rose Garden, renovate his $400 million airplane gift, and millions of dollars so he can play golf,” wrote another frustrated observer, highlighting concerns about spending priorities during challenging economic times.
The renovations extend beyond interior decorating. Trump has paved over portions of the historic Rose Garden, adding picnic tables and colorful umbrellas that mirror his Florida resort’s aesthetic.
The president has also signed an executive order mandating “classical architecture” as the preferred style for federal buildings in Washington, requiring personal notification for any “brutalist or deconstructivist” projects.
I CRINGE every time I see what Trump destroyed at the White House.
— Chris D. Jackson (@ChrisDJackson) August 7, 2025
He took the historic Rose Garden—once full of life and natural beauty—and paved it over with concrete and tacky umbrellas straight out of one of his failing golf resorts.
I’m just grateful I got to see it in its… pic.twitter.com/OmKYmTacFi
Looking ahead, even more ambitious plans are underway.
A $200 million, 90,000-square-foot state ballroom is scheduled to begin construction in September 2025, designed by McCrery Architects with Clark Construction handling the building effort. White House chief of staff Susie Wiles has provided statements supporting the forthcoming addition.
Critics have mocked the new ballroom, saying it shows how he caters to the wealthy, even going so far as to create AI parody videos targeting him and his supporters.
WOW. This new @arikuschnir short about Donald Trump's White House ballroom is AMAZING. pic.twitter.com/Yumgl6Cz0Z
— Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) August 9, 2025
“How much will it cost the next President to ‘untackify’ the White House? Trump has the taste of someone who desperately wants people to believe he has money he doesn’t have,” another critic wondered, encapsulating concerns about both aesthetics and financial responsibility.
While presidential renovations are traditional, Trump’s golden mirror stands as perhaps the most literal reflection of how personal image and public service intersect in the modern presidency.
