President Donald Trump threatened to take State Department paintings home during a mining roundtable Friday, breaking off mid-speech to size up the room’s art and declare, “I’m taking it.”
The event was held in the Benjamin Franklin State Dining Room at the State Department, where Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted nearly 200 mining executives.
The room holds more than 5,000 pieces of American art and artifacts — gifts from private citizens — valued at over $90 million, according to the State Department.
Trump opened his remarks by touting the administration’s mining investments, according to a White House transcript.
“I’m delighted to be here at the Department of State to announce some of the largest ever investments in American mining,” Trump said.
The president seemed to drift off topic mid-speech as he noticed valuables in the room.
“It’s a beautiful building, but — you know, I look at — the president’s allowed to remove things from any building, and I’m liking the chandeliers,” Trump said. “I really — I like those Corinthian columns, but I don’t know. Cutting them out would be not good.”
“Those are beautiful columns, but I’m allowed to do it,” he added. “Every once in a while, I’ll come in here and grab a painting and put it at the Oval Office. Right? But not too much.”
Later in the event, Rubio tried to thank the president, and accidentally pointed him toward a target.
“Thank you for coming to the State Department. We like this room a lot too, and obviously don’t look back. There’s a painting up here. Just don’t — uh-oh,” Rubio said.
“I like that. That’s a good one. I’m taking it with me,” Trump replied.
“I shouldn’t have said anything,” Rubio said.
The White House said Trump announced more than $2 billion in mining investments and $180 million in mining school grants at the event.
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