Now, gold sign outside Oval Office is slammed: Why is Trump obsessed with all that glitters?

For Donald Trump, all that glitters really is gold.

The US president has long been known for his obsession with the precious metal.

However, Trump is taking it to new heights during his second term as president. Not only has Trump added gold to much of the White House, he has now also put up a sign outside the Oval Office proclaiming the location of ‘the room where it happens’ in giant, gold letters.

The development, which comes as America grapples with a shutdown and millions of people including children have lost access to benefits and food, is leading to pushback from lawmakers.

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Let’s take a look at how Trump’s obsession with the yellow metal has developed and what experts think.

Trump’s obsession with gold

Trump’s fascination with gold goes all the way back to his real estate days in New York in the 1980s.

His famed Trump Tower project in 1983 on Fifth Avenue – on which he’d later boast he could get away with shooting people – gave an insight into his obsession. The building’s lobby is notorious for its use of gold-coloured mirrors, brass, and marble, which has left the precious metal synonymous with Trump in the minds of many.

That’s hardly the only property that Trump has shrouded in gold-accented accessories. His Trump International Hotel Las Vegas is said to be dominated by golden décor in the lobby and the elevator. In Doral resort, the bathroom fixtures and caps on the shower soaps are also gold-coloured.

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Gold-coloured fixtures are also found everywhere at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. His private aeroplane is said to have gold-plated seat belt buckles and bathroom fixtures, as well as a bedroom with “yards and yards of elegant gold silk adorning the walls”.

It is an aesthetic which Trump brought with him to the White House during the first term as well. Trump famously replaced his predecessor’s curtains in the Oval Office with those that contained golden shades. This is even more prevalent during his second term, where he has claimed the decorations are of “the highest quality 24-carat gold”.

“Foreign Leaders, and everyone else, ‘freak out’ when they see the quality and beauty. Best Oval Office ever, in terms of success and look!!!” he wrote on Truth Social.

Trump has spoken about consciously trying to draw an association between the precious metal and his brand.

“I was determined from the beginning to have the Trump brand represent the gold standard, and it does. … Every detail matters,” Trump told _LEADERS_ magazine in 2014. It was something he previously recounted in 2010.

“I was determined from the beginning to have the Trump brand represent the gold standard, and it does. It was definitely a plan. The best way to control the identity you build for yourself is to make sure everything you do is the best. Every detail matters. If I notice details, other people will notice details. The end result has to please me, and I’m tough when it comes to quality. Being meticulous is a good way to achieve great results,” Trump told Jetset Magazine.

Trump has clung to this mantra all his life: “Remember the golden rule of negotiating: 'He who has the gold makes the rules.'”

What do experts think?

Jill Morton, a colour psychologist and branding expert, told MarieClaire.com that gold – like all colours – can mean different things to different people.
She pointed out that gold is usually associated with luxury and wealth. However, she added that gold can also stand in for greed and excess.

“In American culture, gold for a brand is kind of old-school,” Morton added. “The demographics of your target customer would think—if you’re talking about Gen X, Gen Y, and some Baby Boomers—gold is a tacky, harsh colour.”

Trump, remember, is 79 years old and one of the oldest living presidents.

Morton also said that gold is often associated with the ultra-rich and royalty. It gives them a sense of security. “It reminds them that they have the money to surround themselves in gold. It’s kind of like a security blanket.”

Trump, incidentally, has been obsessed with the British Royal Family since he was a child.

While he has made many changes to the White House, this most recent one is receiving pushback from lawmakers – mostly over its timing.

Robin Givhan, senior critic-at-large at The Washington Post, told NPR of Trump’s decorations, “There is an elitist point of view that would look at the way he’s decorated the Oval Office and say that it looks very nouveau riche.”

“And then there are those who could also look at it and say that it’s simply an exuberant celebration of success.” NPR’s Tamara Keith added, “The Trump brand is synonymous with over-the-top golden opulence, so Trump’s version of the Oval is very on-brand.”

Others are less than impressed.

As Tommy Landen Huerter, a New York City-based interior designer, told BBC, “All the gilding and ornamentation is very baroque. It’s just stamped on a place it really doesn’t belong.” He pointed out that the Oval Office was designed in such a way to underline that the US is very much not a monarchy.

Lawmakers pushing back on Trump

US lawmakers are now pushing back on Trump.

“A: This sign looks like shit,” Malcolm Kenyatta of Pennsylvania wrote on social media. “B: 43 million Americans don’t have access to SNAP and are weeks away from health care costs exploding even more.”

Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware added, “I wish they would focus on helping struggling Americans, but this isn’t a good sign.” Florida’s Jared Moskowitz said, “Good, new signage means he won’t knock it down.”

Trump critic California Governor Gavin Newsom took a dig at Trump over last night’s election results. “Live, laugh, LOSE,” his social media account posted, altering the image.

With inputs from agencies