Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner announced on Tuesday that he plans to keep a piece of President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom as a paperweight, jokingly stating, “after we all blow it up.” He expressed optimism for the future, saying, “In about 10 to 15 years, we are all going to be sitting here with smiles on our faces,” and described how he would display the paperweight on his desk.
These comments were made at a historic site in Philadelphia during the city’s annual commemoration of slavery. Krasner has previously criticized Trump, labeling him a fascist and vowing to pursue Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. During the event, he referred to Trump as, “a pain in the a–,” to which someone in the crowd replied, “No, he’s the devil!” Krasner acknowledged the sentiment, stating, “He’s the devil, all right, well there is some evidence to that effect.”
Krasner continued his criticism, describing Trump as the embodiment of hatred, ignorance, and suppression of voting rights and education. His comments specifically targeted Trump’s decision to replace a slavery exhibit at George Washington’s historic home through a March executive order that aimed to “Restore Truth and Sanity to American History.” The executive order has led to a shift in the exhibits at the site, which drew legal contention as a federal appeals court ruled that Philadelphia could not control the content of displays at a federally owned location.
Despite the legal setback, Krasner was resolute. He asserted, “This memorial will be here, the educational content will be here,” and emphasized that this historical narrative would continue to attract visitors for many years. He also firmly stated, “There will not be a ballroom. There will not be a Kennedy Center renamed for a fool.”
Krasner clarified that the planned destruction of the ballroom would occur during an official ceremony, making it clear that the aim is both to reclaim taxpayer money and to create keepsakes out of the demolished pieces. His remarks drew a swift rebuttal from the White House, where a spokesperson highlighted Trump’s commitment to necessary renovations at the White House and dismissed criticisms as stemming from “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
In response to Krasner’s comments, a representative from the U.S. Secret Service underscored their role in investigating perceived threats and maintained that they do not disclose details concerning protective intelligence for operational security reasons.
