Melania Trump reportedly raised concerns over East Wing demolition, distanced herself

WASHINGTON, DC: First Lady Melania Trump has reportedly raised concerns about President Donald Trump’s plan to demolish the East Wing of the White House and build a massive ballroom, according to a Wall Street Journal deep dive by Annie Linskey, Josh Dawsey, and Will Parker.

The report notes that Melania “privately raised concerns about tearing down the East Wing and told associates it wasn’t her project,” according to administration officials, as reported by AOL and WSJ. This indicates she has been quietly distancing herself from one of her husband’s most high-profile White House projects.

Earlier this year, social sources told People magazine that Melania had been supportive of the renovation, reportedly liking that parts of the White House were beginning to resemble Mar-a-Lago. One Florida source told People that both Donald and Melania “would prefer to be in Palm Beach,” so the couple was “bringing Mar-a-Lago to Washington.” Another Mar-a-Lago club member said the couple “take pride” in their Florida estate’s decor and “enjoy showing it off,” which explains their desire to mirror that style at the White House. 

Even so, the WSJ and AOL reports indicate that the First Lady may have found watching the Roosevelt-era East Wing being torn down difficult to accept.

Donald Trump takes a wrecking ball to the East Wing

Excavators were seen working on the East Wing, which has historically housed the first lady’s offices. This came despite President Trump’s earlier assurances that the ballroom project would not damage the historic section.

When Reuters reporter Jeff Mason questioned Trump about transparency, the president responded sharply, “I haven’t been transparent? Really? I’ve shown this to everybody that would listen. Third-rate reporters didn’t see it because they didn’t look. You’re a third-rate reporter, always have been,” Trump said on October 23. 

Reports also suggest the White House may not have obtained all necessary federal approvals. The Wall Street Journal noted that plans for the proposed ballroom have not been submitted to the National Capital Planning Commission, which monitors construction on federal properties. White House staff secretary Will Scharf, who also chairs the planning commission, said the demolition itself did not require approval; only the construction phase, which has not begun, does.

Preservationists push back

On October 21, the National Trust for Historic Preservation sent a letter urging the White House to pause before further historic damage occurred. The nonprofit warned that the new construction could overwhelm the White House and disrupt its classical design.

“As we approach the 250th Anniversary of our country’s founding, the preservation of historic places has never been more relevant,” the letter stated, calling for a careful review to protect the White House for future generations.

White House calls it a ‘beautification’ effort

 White House spokesperson told People magazine that the work is part of Trump’s patriotic push to “Make America Great Again,” emphasizing that the upgrades are at no taxpayer expense and will benefit future presidents and visitors.

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