Trump focuses on White House decor for second straight day in post-midterm remarks

The National Capital Planning Commission voted Thursday to approve plans for President Trump's 250-foot triumphal arch. Legal challenges are still possible.

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that he says will prevent future presidents from making certain changes to the White House Oval Office. Trump, a former real estate mogul, has drastically altered the look of the president's official office during his second term, most notably with adding many gold features. "We're making it a national monument, and it will not be allowed to be touched by anybody, destroyed, ripped down by stupid people, in order to build something in a slightly different shape," Trump told reporters on Thursday.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is behind on approving major projects to protect Southern California totaling more than $191 million, a backlog that affects projects intended to reduce damage from floods, earthquakes, fires, and landslides, according to FEMA data. The projects are supposed to be funded by a FEMA program called Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities — or BRIC. The Government Accountability Office has been studying the BRIC program over the last year.

Investors have reacted to possible tougher scrutiny of data centre construction and the AI industry.