Ana Navarro attacks Trump over East Wing demolition: 'Everything he touches, turns to s**t'
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Ana Navarro has openly criticized President Donald Trump and this time it is on a major construction project at the White House. 'The View' co-host called out the demolition currently going on for a projected State Ballroom, which is an initiative led by the 79-year-old president.
Navarro's statement, posted on her Instagram page, specifically addressed Trump's participation in the refurbishment. She continued her usual trend of outspoken critique of the president and his activities.
Ana Navarro's response on Instagram
Notably, Ana Navarro used her social media to critisize Donald Trump’s efforts after she saw a New York Times story where pictures of the demolition revealed a backhoe digging deep into the framework of the East Wing.
She screenshotted the article and appended her quick, biting caption, saying: "Literally EVERYTHING he touches, turns to s**t."
New Ballroom to be completed before end of Trump’s term
In July, the Trump administration announced that the White House Ballroom construction work would begin in September. The official timeline promised completion of the State Ballroom "long before the end of President Trump’s term."
The administration justified the need for the project on the White House website by saying that "presidents, administrations, and staff have longed for a large event space" that can host more individuals than the current space provides.
They framed the project as a needed enhancement to the ability of the White House to accommodate large events.
Historical precedent and funding of White House
The sheer scope of this ongoing construction is being compared with one of the most monumental White House makeovers in history: Former President Harry S Truman's sweeping renovations.
Truman renovated from 1948 to 1952, gutting and remaking the interior and exterior of the executive mansion, a job that was the biggest construction project ever to occur there.
Funding for the ongoing State Ballroom project has been said to come in the form of heavy corporate donors. From a CNN report, some of the listed contributors are industry heavy-hitters like Apple, Amazon, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, Google, Coinbase, Comcast, and Meta.
Previous White House transformations
This East Wing renovation is not the first President Trump has made to the White House's decor and grounds. He has overseen several high-profile and sometimes contentious makeovers in the past.
The Oval Office was redecorated with rich gold trimmings, such as gold vermeil figurines and medallions on the fireplace, gold eagles on end tables, and tiny gold cherubs that were allegedly shipped in from his Mar-a-Lago estate.
In addition, the historic Rose Garden has been the subject of a contentious renovation in which the classic lawn was removed and paved over with stonework tiles, changing the appearance and ambiance of the legendary outdoor setting.
These previous makeovers put Navarro's current outrage into context, indicating a larger trend of presidential renovations she perceives adversely.
