Donald Trump’s teardown of the White House East Wing to build a $300 million gold ballroom has divided opinion — some call it visionary, others outrageous. The demolition removed historic areas including the First Lady’s Office, the East Colonnade, and the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden — changes visible even from space.
Melania Trump, who once worked there, has remained publicly silent. Her former chief of staff, Stephanie Grisham, said on CNN that the move “breaks her heart,” calling the rapid demolition shocking.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Melania has privately expressed concern, telling associates she has “nothing to do with the project.” With only a handful of staff left, experts say the East Wing’s destruction symbolizes her shrinking role in the administration.
“Like her husband,” author Kate Andersen Brower noted, “she’s not going to be like any other first lady — and she doesn’t care about historic precedent.”