More precisely, not the whole of America, but its most important part—the White House. This gilding has appeared over the past three months, ever since its new master—President Donald Trump, a lover of gold—moved in. Golden goblets, angel figurines, and gilt trim on the fireplace, mirrors, and frames have sprung up everywhere.
Таблоїд Bild The tabloid Bild writes that Trump’s residence is decorated in an opulent “Gypsy Baroque” style: lavish gilding, heavy drapes, exuberant ornamentation, and the “more-is-never-enough” aesthetic.
Trump also hurried to remove from the Oval Office the portraits of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush—presidents he openly despises. Their images now hang by the staircase. New York Post quipped that Biden will likely “end up in the basement.”
The U.S. President plans to create a new “grand ballroom” in the White House. Even the crown molding will be gilded to match the massive chandeliers. Renovations will cost about $100 million, yet Trump has promised to pay out of his own pocket.
The Rose Garden will become a “terrace-living room.” Walkways will be paved in white limestone to prevent mishaps—press secretary Caroline Leavitt’s heel recently stuck in the wet lawn. The garden is considered First Lady Melania Trump’s domain: she wants to plant living hedges of red tulips and white roses.
In his spare time, Donald Trump has become the White House “art director,” adding gold accents to every corner—so reports The Wall Street Journal. In recent weeks he has “gilded” parts of the mansion, making the world’s most famous residence look more like Mar-a-Lago, his personal estate in Florida.
To help with the redesign Trump enlisted John Icart—described by one adviser as the president’s “golden boy.” Icart worked on Mar-a-Lago projects and added custom-made gilded elements to the Oval Office, including gold carving on the fireplace and plasterwork. “It’s a golden office for a golden age,” White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt said in an email.
Visitors to Mar-a-Lago say the White House’s gold touches feel familiar: the Florida club is awash in the hue—ceilings, walls, picture frames, desks. Mar-a-Lago’s original designer, Joseph Urban, created opera sets and drew inspiration from Europe’s grand palaces.
Administration officials note that Trump personally oversaw installation of the gilded carving on the Oval Office fireplace and brought in golden cherubs from Mar-a-Lago. Seven gold vases and urns now adorn the mantelpiece; during the Biden administration and Trump’s first term it was decorated with greenery.
According to a recent visitor, the president affixed a gold Trump coat of arms above the doors leading from the colonnade into the residence. Side tables hold gold name-plates, and the small dining room next to the Oval Office showcases further gilded details.
Trump even invited experts to see whether the Oval Office chandelier could be replaced, but the proposed fixture proved too heavy for that section of ceiling.
Last month the government printer that produces official presidential portraits received an unusual request: Trump wanted his portrait to shimmer. The White House asked that the president’s and Vice President J. D. Vance’s portraits be printed with reflective gold frames. Special gold ink and a dedicated printer were required, delaying completion and forcing a reprint of some already-produced portraits with traditional white borders.
Trump’s passion for gold is so well known that foreign leaders present him with appropriately lavish gifts. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave him a gold pager—hinting at Israel’s strikes on Hezbollah—while Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba brought a golden samurai helmet in February. Recently Trump unveiled a “gold card” bearing his likeness for wealthy foreigners, and earlier released an AI video of “Future Gaza” featuring his own gold statue.
Gold-fever has deep roots. In many cultures the metal symbolizes luck, wealth, and power. Traditional Chinese weddings feature gold jewelry to signify happiness, reunion, and eternity. In parts of the West, a gold wedding ring embodies love, devotion, and fidelity. Heirloom pieces often pass down through generations, preserving memories and cultural value.
Trump’s love of gold extends beyond décor: he inadvertently fuels a worldwide gold rush. Amid economic volatility, bullion prices hit a record high—over $3,100 per ounce—partly thanks to the president’s contentious decisions.
Reasons for the meteoric rise:
- ill-conceived economic orders from Trump;
- gold viewed as a hedge against inflation;
- trade tensions boosting demand;
- investors seeking a safe-haven asset.
The greater the uncertainty, the higher the price. Inflation erodes savings; gold, whose supply is finite, preserves purchasing power. Tariffs and trade wars merely enhance its allure.
Why does Trump adore gold so much? One of his remarks may explain:
“I’ve always loved gold—the color, the feel. People kill for it, whole nations have suffered for it. It’s the symbol of prosperity, status, and influence. Whoever owns gold sets the rules.”
This emotional bond gives him a sense of luxury, confidence, and social ease. But is gold-mania truly admirable? A rhetorical question. Many people prize values far more important than a metal’s glitter: peace and calm, family health and well-being, dignity, truth, and justice.
Yes, we are human—words that sound proud and beautiful. We are the hands that forge technology, build cities, conquer space. One might think we rule the world. Yet something can turn some of us—proud and omnipotent—into petty, loathsome creatures: money, gold.
Why does a decent, industrious person become greedy and cruel after getting rich? Why do so-called “big shots,” stripped of fortune or status, sink lower than any ordinary pauper would allow? Why do some lives become mere business, and people—walking wallets? Perhaps money doesn’t change us; it merely reveals hidden traits.
Not everyone fits that mold. Many philanthropists—sincere, kind, compassionate—share their good fortune with those in need. History and the present provide countless examples: people who acutely feel others’ pain, injustice, and aggression, and strive to correct them.
I titled this column “Gilded America,” not “Golden America.” What now gleams in corridors of power and public life is, rather, a flashy veneer. Beneath that gilding lies true steel: a national character of rebellion and defiance, freedom and dignity, a quest for truth and justice. One day the gilt will dull and flake away, and the strength beneath will remain.
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