President Donald Trump (R-FL) described the White House as a “s*** house” during an address on Monday, citing severe structural decay.
The comments highlight a tension between the preservation of a historic national landmark and the current administration's desire for modernized, large-scale entertaining spaces.
Trump said the residence was falling apart when he moved back in, specifically mentioning that columns were falling down and plaster was damaged [1]. He used these descriptions to justify the need for extensive renovations to the executive mansion [1].
As part of these improvements, Trump promoted the construction of a new ballroom [1]. The project is expected to cost AU$552 million [1]. According to the administration, the new facility will be capable of holding up to 1,000 guests [1].
The ballroom is slated for completion by 2028 [1]. While the president emphasized the necessity of the work due to the building's condition, the scale and cost of the project have drawn attention from critics [2].
Other reports on the president's remarks regarding the state of the White House have focused on the specific language used to describe the property, though they did not include the specific details regarding the ballroom's budget or capacity [2], [3].
“the White House was a “s*** house””
The proposal represents a significant departure from traditional White House maintenance, shifting from routine preservation to an expansive architectural addition. By framing the current state of the building as dilapidated, the administration is attempting to pivot the narrative from luxury spending to necessary structural recovery.
