Back in July, Donald Trump announced a $300 million plan to demolish sections of the White House.
As part of his nine-figure renovation project, the President has torn down the East Wing of the White House, which has long been home to the offices of America’s first ladies, in order to make room for a new 90,000-square-foot ballroom.
The plan was met with huge backlash.
Many criticised how the 79-year-old was using potentially tax-paid money to fund the extensive renovations, although he later claimed to have used private funding to pay for the the job.
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Others were quick to comment on the history that would be lost through demolishing the iconic East Wing, which is unfortunately exempt from the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 that requires public reviews of projects involving historical buildings.
Now, Michelle Obama has shared her views on Trump's renovation project.
Obama shared her thoughts about the East Wing demolition on the Jamie Kern Lima Show podcast.
"What did it feel like for you and your body when you saw the East Wing being demolished?" host Kern Lima asked her.
She responded: "It's not about me, it's about us and our traditions and what they stand for. I think in my body I felt confusion because I'm like, 'Well, who are we? What do we value and who decides that?'
"That's the thing that's going through my head a lot lately. Who are we? What are the rules? Because I'm confused by what are our norms, not the laws, but how do we live together? That's the part of it that hurts. It's not the house... I'm just, you know, just trying to understand the assignment. And so I think I felt a loss for us as a nation."
The former first lady continued that her response was about what the demolition might symbolise on a larger scale as opposed to seeing her own home being demolished.
"Personally, you know, that's not our house," she explained. "That's the People's House."
And Obama's not the only public figure to have something to say about Trump's decision to tear down the East Wing.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter) last month, former first lady and former United States Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton condemned the demolition, writing: "It’s not his house. It’s your house. And he’s destroying it."
Current first lady Melania Trump and her staff have been temporarily relocated from the East Wing while renovations take place.
Melania has been largely quiet when it comes to speaking out on the East Wing demolition, but Trump revealed earlier this month that, while she wasn't fully on board at first, she is now warming up to the renovations.
"She loved her little, tiny office," the president told Fox News host Laura Ingraham but claimed that 'in about one day she - if you were to ask her now, she’d say, 'It’s great.'
Topics: Donald Trump, Michelle Obama, Politics, US News, Podcasts, Twitter, Home
Bec Oakes