Trump is 'determined' to outdo Melania's White House bedroom, Maggie Haberman reveals in new book
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump sought to create a more elaborate private bedroom than first lady Melania Trump after returning to the White House in January 2025, according to a forthcoming book by New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan.
The book, 'Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump', offers new details about the couple's living arrangements, White House renovation projects, and the challenges staff reportedly faced while accommodating their preferences.
Book details reported redesign of White House living quarters
According to excerpts obtained by the Daily Mail, Melania Trump occupies the traditional master bedroom on the second floor of the White House residence, while President Donald Trump uses an adjacent room commonly identified on White House maps as the second-floor living room.
Haberman and Swan write that Trump began making changes to his private quarters shortly after returning to office in January 2025. According to the authors, decorative items from nearby hallways and shared residential spaces were gradually moved into the president's room.
“In the early weeks of the new administration, items were spirited from the second-floor corridor into the President's bedroom,” the authors wrote. “Sometimes Trump carried the objects in himself, rearranging things across the private quarters on a whim.”
The book claims that some of the furnishings and decorative items had previously been selected by the first lady. According to the authors, White House aides occasionally reminded Trump of that fact, but he continued reshaping the space.
“He seemed almost to be competing with her, determined to have the better room,” Haberman and Swan wrote.
The authors also describe logistical challenges for residence staff as items were moved between rooms and replaced. According to the book, aides frequently photographed potential replacement pieces and sought approval from the first lady when changes were required.
Haberman and Swan also noted that the Trumps are the first presidential couple since President Richard Nixon and first lady Pat Nixon to regularly maintain separate bedrooms in the White House.
Book also sheds light on Trump's broader White House revamp
The book portrays the bedroom redesign as part of a broader effort to reshape portions of the White House complex. Among the projects discussed is the president's plan for a ballroom, a proposal Trump has publicly supported for years.
According to the authors, the project ultimately led to the demolition of the East Wing, traditionally home to the first lady's offices. Haberman and Swan write that Melania expressed concerns about both the scale and location of the proposed ballroom, while aides attempted to balance differing preferences within the first family.
The book also describes discussions surrounding changes to the Rose Garden. According to the authors, an initial proposal would have transformed the area more dramatically before a compromise preserved the existing rose bushes while modifying other elements of the landscape.
