At a State Department event for mining executives, Donald Trump said he could "grab a painting" from a federal office for the Oval Office, comments that revived concerns about handling of government property. The White House announced more than $2 billion in mining funding and $180 million for mining education after the meeting. Critics pointed to Trump’s previous disputes over unreported foreign gifts and the removal and storage of classified documents at Mar‑a‑Lago, and many noted the loaded connotation of the word "grab."
Trump Says He Might "Grab a Painting" From State Department, Renewing Questions About Gifts and Records
Donald Trump holds a gifted solid gold replica of a deep sea nodule during a roundtable on the American mining industry at the State Department. / KENT NISHIMURA / AFP via Getty Images
At a State Department roundtable for roughly 200 mining executives on Friday, former President Donald Trump suggested that items inside federal buildings could be treated as his personal property — even saying he might "grab a painting" to put in the Oval Office.
Trump came under heavy fire in his first administration for failing to account for some 100 gifts valued at $250,000 given by foreign leaders to the presidential office. / Truth Social
"It's a beautiful building," Trump said as he looked around from the State Department desk. "I'm liking the chandeliers. I like those Corinthian columns, but cutting them out would be not good." He added emphatically, "I'm allowed to do it. Every once in a while I'll come in here and grab a painting and put it into the Oval Office."
Boxes of White House documents Trump kept in a Mar-a-Lago bathroom after the first time he left the White House. / The Valliant 1/X
Trump briefly handled a small, solid‑gold replica of a deep‑sea nodule that had been placed on the desk as a gift from the CEO of American Ocean Minerals ahead of the mining‑industry roundtable.
Offering from X poster inspired by Donald Trump. / JeepJulieAnn/X
Funding Announcement
After the event, the White House announced more than $2 billion in funding aimed at revitalizing the domestic mining industry, along with more than $180 million in investments intended to expand mining education and workforce training.
Donald Trump is captured on a hot-mic bragging about how he treats women. / HML/X
Reactions and Context
Critics quickly noted that expensive gifts from foreign leaders are government property under federal rules and must be reported and retained by the U.S. government; an individual president may keep only items below a statutory value threshold. During his first administration, Trump faced scrutiny for failing to properly account for about 100 gifts with a combined reported value near $250,000.
Observers also pointed to Trump’s well‑documented handling of government records after leaving office. Federal authorities recovered boxes of classified materials from Mar‑a‑Lago, some mixed with personal items — including clothing — and some famously stored near a bathroom and on a stage at the Florida estate.
"I'm allowed to do it. Every once in a while I'll come in here and grab a painting and put it into the Oval Office." — Donald Trump
Video clips of the Exchange drew strong social‑media reaction, with many users referencing both the boxes of documents found at Mar‑a‑Lago and Trump’s earlier, infamous use of the word "grab" in the Access Hollywood hot‑mic recording. Some posts circulated mocking clips and images highlighting those associations.
Why It Matters
The remarks touch on two ongoing areas of public concern about presidential conduct: how officials handle gifts and how they treat government records. Legal and ethics rules exist to keep government property and classified materials in official custody; public comments suggesting otherwise can renew scrutiny and calls for clearer enforcement.
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