Miami
Melania Trump outlined her preservation and design agenda for the White House
The first lady used remarks in the Rose Garden to frame institutional design as part of the country’s historical legacy and reviewed projects at the White House and Camp David. The event marked the White House Historical Association’s 2026 Presidential Sites Summit.
Melania Trump said design plays a central role in preserving the American story, arguing that the White House reflects the country’s values and civic identity through its architecture, interiors and objects.
According to the White House, the first lady spoke from the Rose Garden in recognition of the White House Historical Association’s 2026 Presidential Sites Summit, a gathering expected to bring together more than 200 leaders from presidential sites across the country as they reflect on the America 250 celebration and the years ahead.
In her remarks, Melania Trump reviewed what the White House described as her most significant design and preservation efforts. Those included the White House Tennis Pavilion, the full renovation of the Queens’ Bedroom and Queens’ Bathroom, the conservation of the historic Zuber wall covering in the President’s Dining Room, and the 2020 Rose Garden restoration, which the statement said updated infrastructure and accessibility while renewing the garden’s historic design.
The White House also said her preservation work covered the East Room floor, the marble floors at the State Entrance and Hall, the President’s Elevator, the White House Bowling Alley and the Children’s Garden. The statement framed those projects as part of a broader commitment to American craftsmanship and the preservation of the presidential residence.
The official release added that her design work also reached Camp David. In that context, the first lady said strong design goes beyond appearance and affects lived experience by encouraging collaboration, conveying dignity and creating a sense of belonging.
Melania Trump also referred to the restoration of a wallpaper depicting the American War of Independence, designed by French artist Jean-Julien Deltil and produced by Jean Zuber and Co. The work had been hidden behind the walls of the President’s Dining Room in the private family quarters, and she said the effort to uncover it was intended to preserve part of the national narrative.
On the White House Tennis Pavilion, the White House said the project was developed with the Trust for the National Mall, the Executive Residence and the National Park Service, and approved in 2018 by preservation and planning bodies. It also said the pavilion, completed in 2020, later received the 2025 Palladio Award and the John Russell Pope Award.
At the end of her remarks, the first lady introduced John Rogers, chairman of the board of the White House Historical Association.
Sources
About this piece. Written by El Notero with AI assistance, from reporting published by the outlet cited above. El Notero did no original reporting on this story.
