Hillary Clinton: Trump ‘destroying’ White House with demolition for ballroom
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton slammed President Trump on Tuesday for undertaking modifications of the White House’s East Room to build an added ballroom space for state dinners and ceremonial events.
“It’s not his house. It’s your house. And he’s destroying it,” the former first lady wrote in a statement posted to social media.
The Trump administration first announced plans to create a ballroom in July, but site demolition didn’t begin until Monday. White House officials initially said the project would cost $200 million, but that has since been raised to $250 million. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also previously said the project would not involve demolition.
The president touted the project Monday as an effort being funded by private donors and lauded the addition as something “every President has dreamt about” for the past 150 years.
“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 wrote in a Truth Social post Monday.
“For more than 150 years, every President has dreamt about having a Ballroom at the White House to accommodate people for grand parties, State Visits, etc. I am honored to be the first President to finally get this much-needed project underway — with zero cost to the American Taxpayer!” he added.
However, some have said the use of nontaxpayer funds will further solidify conflict of interest for his administration.
“People who want to be in good with the president are going to write checks,” said Richard W. Painter, who served as the chief ethics lawyer in the White House counsel’s office under former President George W. Bush, told The New York Times.
“It’s just a whole extension of the pay-to-play problem that we’ve had in government for years,” he added.
Painter added that it’s “teed up for a very transactional approach.”
Trump offered to build a ballroom during the Obama administration, but ultimately his proposal was never accepted.
Now, during his second stint in the Oval Office, Trump has made plans to create a White House add-on of 90,000 square feet of space that can accommodate 650 people in a seated capacity with bulletproof glass.
Clark Construction will build the ballroom with design renderings from McCrery Architects.
“Presidents in the modern era have faced challenges hosting major events at the White House because it has been untouched since President Harry Truman,” McCrery CEO Jim McCrery said in a White House release.
“I am honored that President Trump has entrusted me to help bring this beautiful and necessary renovation to The People’s House, while preserving the elegance of its classical design and historical importance.”