This week saw the commencement of demolition work at the White House as part of a reconstruction project initiated by Donald Trump.
Earlier in August, it was announced that the East Wing of the presidential headquarters would undergo a modernization process. This renovation is aimed at accommodating a lavish 90,000 square foot ballroom.
The government revealed that the ballroom would have the capacity to host up to 650 people, replacing the current East Room, which holds approximately 200 guests.
The project comes with a hefty price tag of around $250 million, with Trump stating that he would contribute personally to the cost.
Despite concerns regarding the involvement of anonymous donors in funding the project, construction began on Monday (October 20), with workers quickly dismantling parts of the wing.
Many individuals express concern over the initiative, especially as Trump has already added extravagant touches throughout much of the White House, such as the ’24 Karat Gold’ Oval Office.
Blueprints for the ballroom indicate it will be decorated in Trump’s preferred color scheme, featuring gold accents from the chandeliers to the ceiling.
One Twitter user posted an image of excavators at work, commenting: “Trump has no intention of going anywhere. He’s digging in.”
Another user added: “He’s building his King’s Golden Palace and planning to be forever King.”
Some critics suggest that Trump is ‘destroying’ the historic building to create a ballroom ‘that nobody wanted’, describing it as a ‘desecration’ and an ‘abomination’.
One person remarked: “He is destroying the people’s house.”
In defense of the renovations, the White House cited the lack of adequate hosting space, which previously necessitated the use of a ‘large and unsightly tent’ outdoors.
The Trump administration emphasized that he is not the first president to alter the White House.
According to a press release on Tuesday (October 21), “For more than a century, US Presidents have been renovating, expanding, and modernizing the White House to meet the needs of the present day.”
Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt made significant changes in 1902 and 1934, respectively, including the creation and remodeling of the West Wing, adding a second floor, basement, and a swimming pool, and relocating the Oval Office.
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy refurbished the Rose Garden, enhancing it with repair works, a central lawn, and French-style flower beds. These changes lasted until the Trump family moved in in 2020 and renovated the garden with a limestone walkway.
In August, Trump further altered the garden by paving over the entire lawn, which critics argue makes it resemble a ‘parking lot’.
Trump is not the only president to have made notable changes. In 2009, President Barack Obama converted the ground’s tennis court into a basketball court.
The White House also noted that in 1975, President Gerald Ford introduced an outdoor swimming pool on the South Grounds, funded ‘entirely by private donations’.
Amidst the renovation, concerns have emerged about the potential influence of private donors.
Richard Painter, a former chief ethics lawyer, expressed to the BBC that anonymous funding represents an ‘ethics nightmare’.
“It’s using access to the White House to raise money. I don’t like it,” he said. “These corporations all want something from the government.”
Thus far, YouTube is the only publicly disclosed donor, committing $22 million as part of a settlement with Trump over a lawsuit following the suspension of his account after the January 2021 US Capitol riot.