Imagine moving into a rental home and demolishing part of it to build a ballroom. That’s exactly what President Trump did to the White House East Wing, Monday as he began the construction of his $200 million, 90,000-square-foot ballroom.
CNN staff witnessed an excavator destroying parts of the East Wing, including the roof and interior.
“Renderings released earlier by the White House showed that the ballroom, which the administration has said will be funded by Trump and other private donors, would be built over this area. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said over the summer that the ‘state ballroom’ would occupy space housing the East Wing of the executive mansion, where first ladies have traditionally maintained offices,” CNN added in its report.
The project fulfills the president’s wish for an event space at the White House that would expand the building’s entertaining capacity and continue the president’s demands that the people’s house take on the same gaudy tackiness of his private clubs. So far, Trump’s efforts to make the White House resemble something Liberace would be proud of have included the ballroom, large flagpoles, the destruction of the Rose Garden with pavement, and excessive gold accents inside the Oval Office.
“I am pleased to announce that ground has been broken on the White House grounds to build the new, big, beautiful White House Ballroom,” Trump posted on social media Monday evening. “Completely separate from the White House itself, the East Wing is being fully modernized as part of this process, and will be more beautiful than ever when it is complete!”
Trump also acknowledged the destruction of the White House East Room during an event celebrating LSU’s baseball teams.
“You know, we’re building right behind us — we’re building a ballroom. They wanted a ballroom for 150 years, and I’m giving that honor to this wonderful place,” he said. “I didn’t know I’d be standing here right now, because right on the other side, you have a lot of construction going on, which you might hear periodically.”
CNN notes that the new ballroom will have enough gold to make Trinidad James jealous, including (Trinidad James voice) gold all in the crystal chandeliers, gold all in the gilded Corinthian columns, gold inlays all in the coffered ceiling inlays, and gold all in the floor lamps. Don’t believe him just watch.
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Photo: Getty
