President Trump has signed a proclamation making the Oval Office and Cabinet Room a national monument, aimed at keeping future presidents from making major changes to them. He plans to send the designation to Congress for approval.
Later presidents could still update the decor and make routine security changes, as long as the rooms' historic character is not significantly harmed. Major modifications would need congressional sign-off.
The move came two days after Republicans took heavy losses in the midterms, and Trump's recent remarks have centered largely on White House renovations.
Democrats who will control Congress next year plan a fast start in January. Their early agenda targets voter concerns after the party's strong November 3 showing, including the Iran war, prices and healthcare.
Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii put a ban on lawmakers trading stocks at the top of his list, alongside ending the Iran war and reversing Medicaid cuts. Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri also backs the stock trading ban and has a bill pending, but Democrats will need Republican votes to reach the 60 votes most Senate bills require.
Democrats who take over Congress in January plan to put Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. under heavy scrutiny. Some senior lawmakers have floated impeaching him.
The party also wants to work with Kennedy's MAHA supporters on shared goals, like pesticide rules and healthier school lunches. That could be tricky, since many of them still back him strongly.
Sen. Ron Wyden has already opened two probes: one into Kennedy's account of a 2019 Samoa trip, and one into reports that he took hundreds of thousands of dollars in pricey gifts.
Religious conservative activists took a heavy hit in last week's midterms, their steepest setback since gaining major influence under President Trump. With their goals closely tied to his, the losses suggest their grip on his party has loosened, and activists are scrambling to plan for 2028.
Terry Schilling, who leads the American Principles Project, says the administration delivered few wins beyond some executive orders. He argued the movement could have passed laws to protect children, contrasted that with the Iran war, and said there is no standout accomplishment to point to.
Stephen A. Smith says a 40-minute White House interview with President Trump left him convinced the president won't accept blame for the GOP's midterm losses.
When Smith pressed him, Trump said he was not on the ballot and suggested the Republican candidates were not good enough. Smith disagreed, saying voters were unhappy with how Trump has governed.
Smith also warned that Democrats face a challenge from their far-left flank, which he said makes the party look divided.
Stephen Miller's office has issued a memo telling White House staff not to discuss policy with lobbyists on the grounds without approval.
The move follows claims by Calley Means, a former health adviser who left HHS last month, that Susie Wiles favored corporate donors with well-connected lobbyists. Means named Ballard Partners, where Wiles once worked, and her daughter Katie, a partner at Continental Strategy.
Miller took over as chief of staff last week after Wiles was removed, and the White House has not said what prompted the memo.
