Trump knocking down historic East Wing to build Ballroom - is this LEGAL?

Tuur · Friday at 8:28 PM

Tropical Wilds said:
Can’t wait for the next president to move in and delete it.

Feh. Remember how Carter sold the Sequoia and thought about doing the same to Camp David? Then he ended up using Camp David quite a lot. Same thing here.

Always in His Presence · Friday at 9:45 PM

Bradskii said:
Oh, come on. You said originally 'the part being demolished is a carport. Where people got out when the weather is bad'.

yup and then I was corrected. And admitted as much

Bradskii said:
That is obviously attempting to minimise what was being done. That it was no big deal. Hey, they only knocked down a carport! Then you were shown the complete destruction of the East Wing. And when asked about your opinion on that..?

'Same as before'.

Oh, give it a break. I am not as devious as your imagination thinks I am.

Tropical Wilds · Friday at 9:58 PM

Tuur said:
Feh. Remember how Carter sold the Sequoia and thought about doing the same to Camp David? Then he ended up using Camp David quite a lot. Same thing here.

Doubt it. It’s big, ugly, already $100 million over budget, and if it ever gets finished, which I question, somebody with respect for history will deal with it and restore the White House again. The “let them eat cake” of it all is just too ridiculous to be taken seriously… When we have a Jackie and as opposed to a Melania, it will be relegated to the same fate as The Tropicana.

Oompa Loompa · Friday at 10:38 PM

Tropical Wilds said:
Doubt it. It’s big, ugly, already $100 million over budget, and if it ever gets finished, which I question, somebody with respect for history will deal with it and restore the White House again. The “let them eat cake” of it all is just too ridiculous to be taken seriously… When we have a Jackie and as opposed to a Melania, it will be relegated to the same fate as The Tropicana.

This is Trump's idea of "Build Back Better."

Pommer · Saturday at 12:40 AM

Bradskii said:
It's kinda the raison d'etre of the forum. You express an opinion and other people comment on it. So if Trump says he's not going to touch the existing building and then he tears part of it down and you say hey, it's only a wall and someone shows you a picture of what's left of the East wing after it's completely demolished and then you say it's no big deal...then it's worthy of comment.

If you tear down a section of the White House to create something better then it’s generally named after the President who initiated the action.
Trump is going to let his mark on 1600 Pennsylvania Ave even if makes the gold leaf market explode!

Tuur · Saturday at 5:21 AM

Tropical Wilds said:
Doubt it. It’s big, ugly, already $100 million over budget, and if it ever gets finished, which I question, somebody with respect for history will deal with it and restore the White House again. The “let them eat cake” of it all is just too ridiculous to be taken seriously… When we have a Jackie and as opposed to a Melania, it will be relegated to the same fate as The Tropicana.

Raises eyebrows. You did know that the East Wing was built in the 20th Century, right? And look up the White House renovations under Truman. Have seen photos of the area under the White House Press Room that still show markings on the walls from when it was FDR's swimming pool. If you look up White House Swimming Pool, Wikipedia shows the great big hole in the ground during construction, with Ford looking on.

Tuur · Saturday at 5:22 AM

Pommer said:
Trump is going to let his mark on 1600 Pennsylvania Ave even if makes the gold leaf market explode!

Now that's funny - and probably true.

Tuur · Saturday at 5:31 AM

It occurs to me that Trump, owning several hotels, has already been involved with ballroom design. He already had a ballroom named after him: The Trump Grand Ballroom at Mar-a-Largo. Checking out the photos of that one, the one being constructed at the White House looks kind of small and plain.

Tropical Wilds · Saturday at 5:57 AM

Tuur said:
Raises eyebrows. You did know that the East Wing was built in the 20th Century, right? And look up the White House renovations under Truman. Have seen photos of the area under the White House Press Room that still show markings on the walls from when it was FDR's swimming pool. If you look up White House Swimming Pool, Wikipedia shows the great big hole in the ground during construction, with Ford looking on.

Yes, I’m aware the east wing was first built in 1902, 123 years ago. I’m also aware of the pool built entirely from private donations at a cost (adjusted for inflation) of about $700k. The one he built with permission, transparency, and oversight by proper authorities to build with respect to the original structure m. The addition made by a popular president with public support deal with his medical issues, and funded entirely by transparent and accountable public donations.

I’m not sure how that compares to the $100 million, no, $200 million, no, $300 million dollar ballroom being built by an unpopular president, with no transparency, no oversight, without respect to the existing structure, or pressing need, in a formally well-used and historically meaningful area of the grounds. I get his “wife” is totally hands off and generally MIA for all but oversees ~~vacations~~ work with high prestige, but other, engaged, hands-on, present First Ladies and their staff used it, along with other departments and officials.

GoldenBoy89 · Saturday at 9:36 AM

Tuur said:
Raises eyebrows. You did know that the East Wing was built in the 20th Century, right?

Funny how this argument didn’t seem to work for the people defending confederate statues. A statue from the 1920s to an old dead racist was too critical to our nation’s history to be removed.

A third of the White House complex? No big deal. Knock it down.

iluvatar5150 · Saturday at 9:55 AM

GoldenBoy89 said:
Funny how this argument didn’t seem to work for the people defending confederate statues. A statue from the 1920s to an old dead racist was too critical to our nation’s history to be removed.

A third of the White House complex? No big deal. Knock it down.

That’s one of my bigger issues with this. I’m not really bothered by the project itself (though I don’t trust Trump), but the dichotomy between the reactions to this and the statues shows, again, how disingenuous the entire MAGA movement really is.

GoldenBoy89 · Saturday at 10:32 AM

iluvatar5150 said:
That’s one of my bigger issues with this. I’m not really bothered by the project itself (though I don’t trust Trump), but the dichotomy between the reactions to this and the statues shows, again, how disingenuous the entire MAGA movement really is.

I'm bothered by the project itself. Trump's idea of fancy is like a 5 year old's idea of a cool car. No eye for nuance or subtlety. I just know it's going to be a gaudy, tacky, gold-plated cheap immitation of a fancy palatial ballroom that isn't going to fit in with the rest of the house. It feels like this idea just sprang up out of nowhere and is being forced onto us whether we like it or not, which... yeah on brand. Aside, it's just a giant monument to the fact that he can do whatever he wants and nobody is going to stop him.

The MAGA reactions to it are the least surprising thing to me. What choice do they have atp?

Tuur · Saturday at 10:53 AM

Tropical Wilds said:
I’m not sure how that compares to the $100 million, no, $200 million, no, $300 million dollar ballroom being built by an unpopular president, with no transparency, no oversight, without respect to the existing structure, or pressing need, in a formally well-used and historically meaningful area of the grounds. I get his “wife” is totally hands off and generally MIA for all but oversees ~~vacations~~ work with high prestige, but other, engaged, hands-on, present First Ladies and their staff used it, along with other departments and officials.

Raises eyebrows again. Unpopular? Maybe in the circles you travel in, but it's hardly universal. It would be like someone complaining about Obama's basketball court and calling him "unpopular" because all his or hers friends dislike him. And I don't recall a press conference when Nixon closed FDR's pool or when Ford built a new one. Any outrage I might have felt over presidential changes to the White House ended after Nixon did away with the swimming pool, and with that it was because just because he didn't use it didn't mean another president wouldn't.

The one thing I'm 99.99% sure of is that other presidents will use that ballroom. Maybe some of them are critics of the project. Just like Carter was critical of Camp David until he started using it. Such is the way of things. I'm also 99.99% sure that Americans a generation from now will look at that ballroom as though it's always been there. That's the way of things, too.

I wonder if Nixon's bowling alley is still there. If it's not, are we obliged to complain?

Tuur · Saturday at 10:57 AM

iluvatar5150 said:
That’s one of my bigger issues with this. I’m not really bothered by the project itself (though I don’t trust Trump), but the dichotomy between the reactions to this and the statues shows, again, how disingenuous the entire MAGA movement really is.

Heh. I had the same take on the Democrats. Since they have shown a willingness to remove statues to people like Columbus and Jefferson, their objection to the ballroom for "historic" reasons is amusing.

Desk trauma · Saturday at 11:31 AM

GoldenBoy89 said:
Funny how this argument didn’t seem to work for the people defending confederate statues. A statue from the 1920s to an old dead racist was too critical to our nation’s history to be removed.

A third of the White House complex? No big deal. Knock it down.

The statues had to stay because for some reason every time a statue to a traitor was erected it was connected to a collection of primary historical sources that were prohibited from being duplicated and were wired to combust if the statue was moved. Hence history being erased.

camille70 · Saturday at 11:38 AM

iluvatar5150 said:
That’s one of my bigger issues with this. I’m not really bothered by the project itself (though I don’t trust Trump), but the dichotomy between the reactions to this and the statues shows, again, how disingenuous the entire MAGA movement really is.

I didn't like the idea of the ballroom but when he said it wasn't going to touch the existing structure I was in the camp he can do whatever. If course he lied AGAIN and under the who's gonna stop me doctrine, it's too late to prevent or reverse damage done..

RileyG · Saturday at 12:06 PM

Servus said:
Theodore Roosevelt Renovation (1902): This renovation expanded the space by adding the West Wing, establishing it as the primary office space for the president. It also removed the Victorian-era decor that had accumulated over the years to restore the building's more classical style.

Coolidge Administration Expansion (1927): President Calvin Coolidge oversaw the addition of a third floor to the residence.

Franklin D. Roosevelt Expansion (1930s–1940s): The West Wing was overhauled in 1934, and the Oval Office was relocated. In 1942, the East Wing was added to conceal an underground bunker. And an indoor swimming pool was installed.

Harry S. Truman Reconstruction (1948–1952): Considered the most significant renovation in the building's history, the interior was completely gutted. Only the exterior walls were preserved.

Richard Nixon Expansion (1973): A bowling alley was added.
Donald Trump Expansion (2025): A ballroom is being added to the East Wing

Things change with the times! Color me surprised! Not saying I’m thrilled about the east wing being completely gutted, but nothing remains forever!

Servus · Saturday at 1:14 PM

RileyG said:
Things change with the times! Color me surprised! Not saying I’m thrilled about the east wing being completely gutted, but nothing remains forever!

I didn't even know what the east wing was exactly until recently. I didn't know that it was a completely separate structure that's only five years older than my sister. So if I was taken to the white house grounds after that ballroom was completed, and someone said "see anything that looks different?" I would've said no.

Servus · Saturday at 1:31 PM

iluvatar5150 said:
That’s one of my bigger issues with this. I’m not really bothered by the project itself (though I don’t trust Trump), but the dichotomy between the reactions to this and the statues shows, again, how disingenuous the entire MAGA movement really is.

Likewise the dichotomy between the reactions to this and the statues shows, again, how disingenuous the leftist movement really is.

RileyG · Saturday at 1:55 PM

Servus said:
I didn't even know what the east wing was exactly until recently. I didn't know that it was a completely separate structure that's only five years older than my sister. So if I was taken to the white house grounds after that ballroom was completed, and someone said "see anything that looks different?" I would've said no.

Me either.

Trump knocking down historic East Wing to build Ballroom - is this LEGAL?

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