Donald Trump has finally broken his silence regarding reports that former First Lady Melania Trump was unhappy about his decision to demolish the East Wing of the White House to make room for a $300 million ballroom. In a recent interview, the former president confirmed that his wife had indeed been upset about losing her office — though, he added, she has since come to accept the change.
The extensive renovation project, which has already sparked significant backlash, included tearing down the East Wing — a section that historically housed the First Lady’s offices and staff. The move follows Trump’s controversial transformation of the Rose Garden into a concrete seating area, a decision that drew criticism for stripping away much of the garden’s iconic greenery.
The demolition provoked sharp responses from prominent Democrats and former first ladies alike. Hillary Clinton wrote on X, formerly Twitter, “It’s not his house. It’s your house. And he’s destroying it.” Meanwhile, Michelle Obama expressed her frustration on her podcast, emphasizing the symbolic importance of the East Wing.
“When we talk about the East Wing, it is the heart of the work,” Obama said, according to Vanity Fair. “And to denigrate it, to tear it down, to pretend like it doesn’t matter – it’s a reflection of how you think of that role.”
In a sit-down interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham, Trump fired back at his critics, claiming the project was necessary to accommodate guests during large-scale White House events.
“If you have some big state event, we have no place to have it,” Trump said. “Obama wouldn’t mind this. Mrs. Obama, obviously, wouldn’t mind. They would put a tent on the lawn. It was a low section — if it rained, you were sitting in six inches of water. It was a disaster.”
The president added that the construction of the new ballroom would ensure visitors “stay dry” while also enhancing the functionality of the White House grounds.
However, reports suggest that Melania Trump was initially far from pleased. According to The Wall Street Journal, the former First Lady privately expressed concern about the East Wing’s demolition, telling close associates that she had “nothing to do with the project because it isn’t hers.”
Historians also weighed in on the issue, noting the significance of the East Wing in the evolution of the First Lady’s role. Katherine A.S. Sibley, a professor of history at St. Joseph’s University, told The Guardian that the building held deep symbolic and practical importance.
“The East Wing was where first ladies could carry out the important work that they do,” Sibley explained. “The destruction of the East Wing just shows how little the White House cares about the position of first lady. Had Obama proposed such a change, Michelle might have said, ‘Wait a minute. That is my office.’ It’s not surprising that [Melania’s] wish to keep the building maybe didn’t carry a lot of weight.”
Although Melania has not spoken publicly about the changes, Donald Trump confirmed in his interview that she had, at first, been unhappy.
“She loved her little, tiny office,” he said. “But she’s very smart. In about one day, if you were to ask her now, she’d say, ‘It’s great.’”
Trump also defended the aesthetic rationale behind his decision, calling the previous structure “an eyesore.”
“The East Wing, that building was renovated 20 times, including adding a floor to the top, which was terrible,” he said. “It was made out of common brick, little, tiny windows. It looked like hell.”
Trump maintained that the $300 million ballroom is being financed entirely by private donations and will serve as a major improvement to the historic residence.
While critics continue to denounce the decision as another example of Trump’s disregard for tradition, the former president remains unapologetic — and confident that, in time, even Melania will agree it was the right move.
