Former President Joe Biden has questioned the message behind Donald Trump’s expensive White House makeover. Biden says the changes diminish the stature of the country. He also took aim at the gold-heavy decorations Trump has brought into the White House.
What Joe Biden said about the ballroom and demolished East Wing
Joe Biden made his remarks during an interview with PEOPLE while discussing Trump’s $600 million ballroom project and the East Wing demolition. He compared the building changes with the gold-covered interiors of the White House and Oval Office, saying, “What the hell are we talking about?” He described the display as “beneath the country.”
The former president believes Trump’s construction plans reflect a desire to leave his name on Washington rather than serve a broader purpose. Biden pointed to the demolished East Wing and said the projects appeared designed to create personal monuments, summed up by the attitude: “I built that.”
Trump’s other projects include a $100 million triumphal arch, plans to rename the Kennedy Center after himself, changes to the Rose Garden and an unsuccessful Reflecting Pool renovation attempt.
The price tag has become a major sticking point, with critics questioning whether taxpayers should foot such a hefty bill. The Center for American Progress estimates that Trump’s ongoing and proposed construction projects could cost at least $1.6 billion in public funds.
Democrats on the Joint Economic Committee put the tally even higher, at roughly $1.8 billion. They say that money could instead provide 1.7 months of child care or pay one year of medical expenses for 88,000 veterans.
Public frustration also reportedly runs deep. A Washington Post survey published in July showed that close to two-thirds of Americans felt unhappy or outright upset about Trump’s building plans (via The Daily Beast).
Biden made the comments while promoting his upcoming book, “Promise Me, America.” The book includes a letter Trump left for him in the Oval Office in 2021, after losing the 2020 election. Trump wrote that Biden had the chance to “choose your place in history” and urged him to remain “true” to himself and the American people.
