Maintain the Dignity of the Decor in the Oval Office and Preserve the Resolute Desk

The President-elect has demonstrated decor choices in his residences that, if adopted in the Oval Office, would be counter to preserving its rich history. Although exempted from the National Register of Historic Places, the Oval Office and its contents represent all the American people and their history, and should not be permanently altered to suit individual style. Specifically, presidents since Hayes have used the Resolute desk with little modification. Its conversion or gilding would do harm to our heritage. We call upon the White House to preserve the dignity of the Oval Office and to preserve the Resolute desk, or to move the Resolute to the Smithsonian and for the President-elect to use an alternative desk during his time in office.