Park Rangers Rope Off Oval Office National Monument, Ask Trump to Stay on Trail

WASHINGTON — National Park Service rangers took over management of the new Oval Office National Monument on Friday and, within the hour, had roped off the Resolute Desk, posted a “Stay on Marked Trail” sign beside the couches and asked President Donald Trump to show his timed-entry reservation.

The monument, created by a proclamation Trump signed Thursday, covers the Oval Office, the Outer Oval Office and the Cabinet Room. Trump said the rooms would “not be allowed to be touched by anybody,” and park staff said they had no reason to doubt him.

“Anybody is a very clear word,” said Ranger Dolores Brimhat, 58, who transferred overnight from Yellowstone and now leads the 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Chandelier Walks. “At Old Faithful, people think the rules are for other people. Then they get too close to the geyser.”

Under the draft management plan, the president may view the desk from a designated overlook near the door between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Executive orders may be signed at the picnic table by the Rose Garden. Visitors are reminded that the gold is part of the natural environment and may not be taken home.

The proclamation still allows presidents to redecorate, and Trump said a future president could remove the gold “very carefully.” Rangers have responded by assigning each gold accent a Leave No Trace plan and a GPS tag.

Cabinet members may earn a Junior Ranger badge by completing an activity booklet and correctly identifying the new chandeliers. Three secretaries were sent back after counting the same chandelier twice.

When this reporter left, Ranger Brimhat was escorting the president back to the overlook after he was spotted off-trail near the desk, and Recreation.gov listed the Oval Office as fully booked through January 2029.