Ronald Reagan’s daughter Patti Davis slams Trump over ‘heartbreaking’ White House destruction
WASHINGTON, DC: As the East Wing of the White House is being demolished to make way for President Donald Trump’s ballroom project, Patti Davis, the daughter of former President Ronald Regan, has criticised the demolition as “heartbreaking.”
She lamented how much Trump is tearing down parts of the historic monument where she and her family once lived.
Patti Davis laments demolition of White House
“The images we’ve now all seen of the East Wing being demolished are heartbreaking. Over the centuries, many presidents have altered the White House, and certainly, older buildings need to be updated and repaired. But this is complete destruction.” Davis, author and daughter of the late president and former first lady Nancy Reagan, wrote in a scathing opinion piece, accusing Trump of destroying history.
“Now no one else will get to walk across that threshold and feel the richness of that history brush past them. It was where Eleanor Roosevelt walked. It was where Jacqueline Kennedy planned the Rose Garden,” she wrote.
“We silence so much when we tear down places that are there to teach us, inspire us, humble us. Ghosts and memories drift away in the dust, the wreckage, and we are all poorer as a result,” she wrote for the Times.
Criticisms against the ballroom project
Ever since the demolition of the portion of the building, Trump has been widely condemned for his decision without the approval of Congress or the necessary federal committees.
The vanity project, which Trump now expects to cost $300 million, comes at a time when millions of Americans are struggling with the cost of living and face healthcare costs that are set to more than double when Affordable Care Act subsidies expire.
Previously, the White House assured that the ballroom would be mostly separate from the main building, would match its architecture, and the East Wing would not be entirely demolished.
However, the photos that have emerged suggest otherwise, where the portion has been flattened and the 90,000-square-foot event space will be nearly twice the size of the executive building, which measures 55,000 square feet.
A statement released by the White House even released a list of donors funding the construction of the ballroom instead of taxpayers, including companies such as Apple and Amazon, as well as individuals such as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
The way in which the project is funded has also raised concerns that it could amount to a cash-for-access scheme or a way for people to gain favor with the president.
White House defends Donald Trump
“President Trump is working 24/7 to Make America Great Again, including his historic beautification of the White House, at no taxpayer expense.
These long-needed upgrades will benefit generations of future presidents and American visitors to the People’s House–something we should all celebrate,” White House spokesperson Davis Ingle told the Daily Beast in response to the criticisms.
