Depending on who you ask, Donald Trump’s teardown of the East Wing of the White House has been either amazing or utterly insane. The president is making room for his $300 million ballroom and has spoken plenty about it. But while that is happening, his wife, Melania Trump, has stayed quiet. Now, it’s been reported on what she really thinks.
Donald Trump has torn down the East Wing of the White House to make way for his gold ballroom, valued at around $300 million. The president has sparked a furious reaction to the demolition from many, while others believe it’s the right thing to do.
One person, however, who has not said anything about it is Melania Trump. The First Lady of the United States had, just like first ladies in office before her, her office in the East Wing, but as the demolition began, she had to move.
The East Wing demolition included the Office of the First Lady, the East Colonnade, and the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden. In fact, the changes are even visible from space.
One who was not happy about the demolition was Melania Trump’s former chief of staff, Stephanie Grisham. She worked for Melanai during their first presidential term, and said the decision to remove the east wing on CNN “breaks her heart.”
“It’s something that could never be put back,” Grisham said. “I wish they would have gone about it in a better way… I can’t help wonder what [Melania] thinks of how all of this is taking place.”
Melania Trump’s true feelings about Donald’s White House teardown
She added, “I certainly didn’t expect it to be demolished like a condemned house over three days or so.”
Besides having her office there, Melania actually did some other work in the areas that are now destroyed. For example, in 2018, she had 40 blood-red trees in the East Colonnade planted to honor those who had lost their lives while in military service.
So what does she really think of her husband’s plan for the ballroom and the demolition of her former office, among many other historic spots at the White House grounds?
According to the Wall Street Journal, the First Lady has expressed her worries behind closed doors. The newspaper, citing administration officials, claims she tells her associates she has nothing to do with the project because it isn’t hers.
Meanwhile, the demolition of the East Wing can also be seen in another light regarding Melania Trump’s role within her husband’s administration.
The First Lady has reportedly appointed only five full-time employees for her second term at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and now all of them have moved to other parts of the White House.
“She doesn’t care about historic precedent”
Speaking to CNN, Kate Andersen Brower, author of First Women, a book exploring the life, power, and role of modern first ladies, said, “Watching the demolition is the physical embodiment of watching the first lady’s role become smaller and smaller.”
She added: “She’s making it clear that – like her husband – she’s not going to be like any other first lady. … She doesn’t care about historic precedent, either.”
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