President Trump criticized the East Wing, which was recently torn down for a new ballroom, describing its previous state as “hell” and lamenting the overall look of the area around the White House before its destruction. He referred to it as a “poor, sad scene.”
In his remarks, Trump noted that the East Tower was a diminutive building that had undergone many changes over the years, saying, “It had nothing to do with the original building.” This was part of an interview with Laura Ingraham on Fox News.
“It was a miserable, sad scene,” he stated. “We could have built a ballroom around it, but we wouldn’t have.” Trump went on to mention that they are creating “one of the greatest ballrooms in the world.”
Last month, Trump explained that experts advised that the East Wing needed to be demolished to properly construct a 90,000-square-foot ballroom. Initially announced in July, he insisted the new addition “will not interfere with the current building.”
His comments followed a mention of Michelle Obama, who labeled the East Wing as her “work hub.” Trump responded to her remarks, sharing that it was disrespectful to disregard the significance of that space.
He highlighted that the $300 million ballroom will be entirely funded by private donations, ensuring “zero government spending.” When discussing reports that Melania Trump had reservations about the East Tower’s demolition, he remarked, “She loved her tiny little office,” but added, “In about a day, she figured it out. If you asked her now, she’d say it’s great.”
“The East Wing is excellent, right?” Trump pondered. He then admitted that the building had been renovated numerous times, adding, “it was terrible.” He used the phrase “it was hell” to describe its condition, recalling of its origins from 1902 and the expansion during Roosevelt’s era.
Ultimately, Trump expressed that he didn’t want to compromise on the quality of the new banquet hall by keeping what he viewed as an inadequate one under the guise of preserving history.
