President Donald Trump's interior design choices became the unlikely focus of a Fox News interview in which the president was forced to defend the authenticity of the "24-karat" gold decorations he added to the Oval Office.
During a wide-ranging sit-down interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham, the conversation pivoted from policy matters — like his proposed 50-year mortgage plan that is designed to tackle home affordability and immigration — to addressing viral online rumors that his gilded embellishments were actually inexpensive, plastic appliques from Home Depot.
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As he showed off the changes to the historic workspace, Trump defended the materials.
"You know the one thing with gold? You can't imitate gold, real gold. There's no paint that imitates gold," Trump told Ingraham.
Ingraham then confronted the online speculation, asking the president whether the decorations were from Home Depot.
"No, this is not Home Depot stuff. This is not Home Depot," Trump said.
The rumors that the materials were fake surfaced when critics on social media noted a striking resemblance between the Oval Office's decorative motif and a polyurethane applique sold on Home Depot's website, which sold out soon after the controversy gained traction.
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The decor dispute is the latest in a series of controversial renovations initiated by the Trump administration that have drawn significant public and political backlash.
Some have criticized Trump for lavish spending at a time of economic uncertainty, particularly given the impact of the federal government shutdown on aid programs.
His architectural alterations have also raised historic preservation concerns. Earlier in his term, Trump was lambasted for his plans to modify the historic White House Rose Garden, which critics view as an unnecessary erasure of history, according to media reports.
Even more controversial is Trump's $300 million plan to build a massive new ballroom. The project, which he said will create one of the "greatest ballrooms in the world," has seen the complete demolition of the East Wing of the White House.
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Trump defended the project, saying that the East Wing "looked like hell" before it was demolished.
Despite his claims of "real gold" in the Oval Office, the ongoing controversies surrounding his high-cost, high-impact renovations are likely to continue to spark debate over the appropriate use of resources and the preservation of the White House's historical character.
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