East Wing Ballroom
MCCRERY ARCHITECTS ILLUSTRATION, PROVIDED BY THE WHITE HOUSE
An illustration of the layout of the future ballroom
Work began this week to build a ballroom in the east wing. With an area of 8,361 square meters, it will almost double the size of the White House.
Mr. Trump said in July that it was necessary to be able to host major events bringing together world leaders. With its capacity to accommodate “999” people, the construction of this ballroom will cost, according to him, more than $200 million, paid for through personal contributions and private donations.
The project, however, has raised serious concerns among historians and experts in government ethics.
Rose garden
PHOTO DOUG MILLS, THE NEW YORK TIMES
President Donald Trump addresses Republican senators at the newly developed “Rose Garden Club” Tuesday.
Over the summer, Mr. Trump had the rose garden paved with stone slabs and added tables with yellow and white striped umbrellas, like the terrace at Mar-a-Lago. The rose bushes were, however, preserved.
The president recently hosted a dinner for Republican lawmakers in the revamped space, which he dubbed the “Rose Garden Club.” The ceremony to award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to conservative activist Charlie Kirk, posthumously, also took place on the new terrace.
Oval Office
PHOTO DOUG MILLS, THE NEW YORK TIMES
President Trump in the newly gilded Oval Office
Donald Trump’s affection for gilded decorations is evident in the Oval Office. Gold-framed portraits and mirrors hang on the walls, and gold inlays have been added. Even the presidential seal on the ceiling is covered in gold leaf.
The Oval Office fireplace usually serves as a backdrop when Mr. Trump hosts foreign leaders. Mr. Trump removed the ivy that usually adorned his coat and decorated it with historical objects from the White House collection, all in gold.
Cabinet Room
PHOTO KENNY HOLSTON, THE NEW YORK TIMES
Meeting with members of the Trump administration in the Cabinet Room
Mr. Trump’s golden theme carries over into the Cabinet Room, where he often holds meetings with his staff and, sometimes, with international leaders. Gold inlays and moldings have been added to the walls, and the fireplace is also decorated with gold elements.
Mr. Trump also added more flags to the room, including those of specific branches of the military, such as the Army, Navy and Air Force. Sumptuous chandeliers now light the room.
West Colonnade
PHOTO DOUG MILLS, THE NEW YORK TIMES
Portraits of (almost) all the presidents of the United States decorate the West Colonnade of the White House.
In September, Mr. Trump inaugurated the presidential “Walk of Fame” in the West Colonnade – the main walkway connecting the White House official residence to the West Wing. The exhibition features portraits of all the presidents framed in gold.
But instead of the portrait of Joe Biden there is a photo of an automatic signing machine (autopen) signing his name, a reference to Mr. Trump’s claims, without evidence, that Mr. Biden’s cognitive state prevented him from signing documents. Presidents have used signing machines for decades, and Mr. Biden said he used them to grant clemency to certain people.
With the New York Times
