President Donald Trump faced backlash from Democrats over a video clip of him showing off White House renovations to Fox News host Laura Ingraham.
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle responded to the backlash in a statement to Newsweek, saying that only “people with a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome would find a problem” with the renovations.
Why It Matters
Trump has unveiled myriad renovations to the White House, ranging from gold ornamentations, moldings, and medallions, as well as a new ballroom under construction in the East Wing. Those renovations have drawn rebuke from Democrats, who have sought to paint the president as out of touch over the décor. His supporters, however, have praised the decorations as elevating the White House.
What to Know
Trump gave Ingraham a tour of the White House as part of an interview that aired on Tuesday. A clip of the tour was posted to social media platform X by the account @Acyn, and critics were quick to respond to the video.
Trump showed Ingraham the “Presidential Walk of Fame,” which included new gold ornamentation and a new sign.
“Most people would just do a sign. They paint it on the wall. So that’s half-inch thick bronze carved by a very talented person, and it’s brass. It’s pure brass. It’s half-inch-thick brass. You can’t just do that. You look at that—that’s quality, right?” the president said.
The video spread across the platform, being viewed more than 200,000 times.
Andrew Bates, former White House senior deputy press secretary during the Biden administration, responded by calling out the administration’s refusal to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) amid the ongoing shutdown, which could soon end after the Senate passed a bill to restore funding.
“His administration is still in court to stop working families from eating, and this is the s*** he’s spending time on,” Bates wrote.
Ron Filipkowski, the editor-in-chief of Meidas Touch, responded on X: “Wait, first he says it’s pure bronze. Then he says it’s pure brass.”
“He’s turned the White House into a banquet venue in Bloomfield,” wrote @JoJoFromJerz.
What People Are Saying
Davis Ingle, a White House spokesperson, told Newsweek: “President Trump is making the White House beautiful and giving it the glory it deserves. Only people with a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome would find a problem with that.”
Democratic consultant Jesse Lee wrote to X: “I honestly can’t believe Trump’s response to a massive electoral rebuke over the cost of living is a tour of all the gaudy gold and brass renovations he’s made using our tax dollars.”
Andrew Weinstein, who served as a public delegate to the United Nations General Assembly during the Biden administration, wrote to X: “He’s turning the White House into Dollar Tree Mar-a-Lago.”
What Happens Next
Construction of the ballroom, which the White House has said is being funded by donors rather than taxpayer dollars, is ongoing.
