Donald Trump showed off the Oval Office “real” gold makeover in a Fox News interview with Laura Ingraham. He couldn’t stop bragging about the White House renovations, from the Lincoln bathroom to the new $300 million ballroom.
Originally budgeted at $200 million, the project is now $100 million over. Trump said, “You can’t imitate gold, real gold. There’s no paint that imitates gold.” Ingraham asked, “So these aren’t like from Home Depot or something?”
🚨🇺🇸 TRUMP: YOU CAN’T IMITATE GOLD, THIS IS NOT HOME DEPOT STUFF
Trump gave a tour of his newly renovated White House, pointing out every shimmer of real gold with a grin:
“You can’t imitate gold
There’s no paint that imitates gold.
This is not Home Depot stuff.”
The… https://t.co/3t4Xti7u5m pic.twitter.com/tPfoXEoBl2
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) November 11, 2025
Trump responds, “No, this is not Home Depot stuff. This is not Home Depot.” Ingraham was referring to the online claims that several people made earlier about the gold details in the Oval Office. Viewers joked the trim looked like something straight off a Home Depot shelf.
Moreover, there was an interior designer who was selling metallic spray paint to achieve the same look as the Oval Office gold detailing. On the other hand, an architecture critic, Philip Kennicott, said it could be the real gold embellishments while explaining the process.
For it to be real gold, the makeover must have been expensive, but Trump said taxpayers’ money wasn’t used to do it, and he paid for it himself. Backlash over the costly renovations has intensified during the shutdown, as many Americans struggle to afford food.
Trump’s not so humble brag invited harsh criticism. One user called the gold makeover tacky with a funny meme. Another use added, “White House brings you the #MarieAntoinette moment for today.”
So tacky & gaudy…while Americans starve. https://t.co/q5ZO74Lkwl
— Lorraine S. Haake (@chartreuxcat) November 11, 2025
The third one posted, “Trump makes Liberace seem like an understated minimalist. Another one criticized the administration and said, “While the country scrapes by on empty promises, Trump’s turning the Oval Office into a gaudy gold-plated shrine to his ego, because nothing says “America First” like Marie Antoinette’s budget for moldings.”
Some people also posted a molding with the same shape, comparing it to the one at the White House and wrote “spray painted.” It may or may not be real gold, but the same tacky gold look can be achieved without using the expensive metal. Those who share his love of gold can achieve the same look on a budget.
