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الوسم: demolition

  • Trump Grooves to His Beat Amid White House Demolition Rage

    Trump Grooves to His Beat Amid White House Demolition Rage

    President Donald Trump dismissed backlash on Tuesday over the partial demolition of the White House to make way for a new ballroom, claiming the noise from construction was “music to my ears.” Critics, including Democrats, accused him of showing disrespect to the historic residence after images surfaced of excavators tearing away the East Wing’s facade.

    As journalists from AFP watched the demolition continue throughout Tuesday, Democratic leaders also criticized him for advancing a $250 million renovation plan amidst a backdrop of a government shutdown and rising living costs. Trump, 79, emphasized that the renovation was necessary and insisted that taxpayers wouldn’t bear any of the costs. He mentioned that he is partially funding the project himself, with private and corporate donors covering the remaining expenses.

    Last week, Trump hosted a lavish dinner for donors, featuring guests from major tech companies, though the White House has yet to release a guest list or financial details. The White House responded dismissively to the criticism, describing it as “manufactured outrage” by “unhinged leftists and their Fake News allies” over the addition of a large, privately funded ballroom.

    They defended the project as a “bold and essential” upgrade that continues a tradition of presidential renovations intended to keep the White House a symbol of American excellence. The White House also highlighted previous renovations by past presidents, including Barack Obama’s upgrade of the tennis court into a full basketball court.

    In his second term, Trump has overseen a significant overhaul of the White House, including paving over the Rose Garden, where he previously held Republican senator meetings. Democrats sharply condemned the demolition, equating it to Trump’s broader efforts to overhaul the federal government and target his political rivals. Hawaii Senator Mazie Hirono remarked, “The demolition of the East Wing feels very symbolic of what Trump is doing to our democracy. He’ll claim to protect it, then tear it apart before your eyes.” Elizabeth Warren added that amidst America’s rising costs of living, Trump appears to be deaf to the concerns while bulldozing part of the White House to build a new ballroom.

  • Why Is Trump Partially Demolishing the White House?

    Why Is Trump Partially Demolishing the White House?

    Demolition crews started tearing down part of the White House’s historic East Wing on Monday to make way for President Donald Trump’s new ballroom, a project he claimed wouldn’t disrupt the landmark. Heavy machinery was seen dismantling the building’s facade, which houses the first lady’s offices, a theater, and a visitor entrance for foreign officials.

    The estimated cost of building the ballroom is over $250 million, with Trump stating in July that he and donors would personally cover the expenses. “It will be stunning,” Trump remarked at the time. “It won’t interfere with the existing structure. It’ll be adjacent but not touching it. It respects the current building — which I admire the most. It’s my favorite.”

    The White House did not comment publicly on Monday regarding the demolition. Trump announced that construction had officially begun after images of the ongoing work appeared in news reports.

    “Right behind us, we’re constructing a ballroom,” Trump told visiting college baseball players from Louisiana State University in the White House’s East Room. “I didn’t expect to be standing here right now because there’s a lot of construction happening just on the other side, which you might hear now and then.”

    Future events will kick off with cocktails in the East Room before guests move into what Trump promises will be the country’s finest ballroom, with views of the Washington Monument and space for nearly 1,000 attendees.

    “Separated entirely from the White House, the East Wing is being modernized and will look better than ever when finished,” he added later on Truth Social.

    Before his political career, Trump was a real estate developer and has made numerous cosmetic enhancements to the White House, including gold accents in the Oval Office and a redesigned Rose Garden inspired by his golf courses. He also proposed creating an Arc de Triomphe-style monument to mark the U.S. bicentennial in 2026.

    The East Wing was constructed in 1942 under Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War II, built over a bunker designed for emergency presidential use. Still, the complex often struggles to accommodate the number of staff, visitors, and guests, sometimes hosting state dinners in tents on the South Lawn.