### Trump’s Oval Office Redesign Criticized for ‘Garishness’ Comparable to French Monarch’s Taste

After beginning his second term, President Donald Trump remodeled the Oval Office with a bold gold theme, echoing the decor of his Trump Tower penthouse and his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. According to David Harrison, a French professor from Grinnell College, this design choice bears a striking resemblance to the extravagant taste of France's Louis XIV, also known as "the Sun King."

In an essay for Slate, Harrison, who also heads an organization dedicated to studying France, suggested that Trump's ornate style is reminiscent of Louis XIV's notorious flair. He pointed out that Trump even tried to replicate the "hall of mirrors" from the Palace of Versailles at Mar-a-Lago. Harrison mentioned that Angelo Donghia, the interior designer responsible for Trump’s Manhattan residence, has a style often criticized for its over-the-top ostentation, comparing it to how the Duke de Saint-Simon condemned Versailles as "a masterpiece in bad taste."

Harrison suggested that Trump's preferred aesthetic would likely be viewed unfavorably by most Americans, indicating a sharp departure from traditional U.S. political sentiment, which usually eschews monarchistic excess. He elaborated on how Trump’s decoration choices could reflect a broader view on power, drawing parallels with the absolutist rhetoric of Louis XIV's era, which often led to manipulation by sycophants.

However, Harrison noted a significant difference between Trump and the Sun King in terms of their accomplishments. While Louis XIV invested heavily in the arts, sciences, and technological advancements, Trump has been associated with the dismantling of the administrative state. Harrison likened Trump more to Louis XVI, whom he described as a "mediocre" leader eventually overthrown.

"It's an irony of history," Harrison wrote, "that Trump's admiration for Louis XIV might mean that this experiment will continue elsewhere, perhaps in a place currently considered backward and uncivilized, where a gilded hall of mirrors holds less appeal than a system of laws and principles against authoritarianism."