Trump-funded ballroom raises many concerns, one of which is its symbolism of wealth.
Just a few weeks ago, construction teams moved in and started demolitioning the East Wing of the White House to make room for a ballroom. The ballroom will be 90,000 square feet large, and it will supposedly cost taxpayers nothing. Trump has often complained that there is no venue at the White House that is large enough or beautiful enough to use for state dinners and other parties. The White House expects the ballroom to be done sometime before 2029. But what does this all mean?
Well first of all, it means the destruction of the historical First Lady’s office. That office has been used by First Ladies for the last 85 years. Not only are historical artifacts going to be lost, and oral history and tradition, but there is a sense in which this is a symbolic blow against feminism. For the destruction of an office where women, who had been, and continue to be, denied the right to serve and lead in politics, were able to achieve incredible and monumental political feats to be relegated to a footnote of the conversation surrounding the demolition of the White House is a depressing reminder of the sexism rampant in our nation.
But perhaps even more depressing is that Melania Trump, who rarely even goes to the White House at all anymore, preferring New York, reportedly disapproved and asked her husband to reconsider before destroying the office. Melania Trump certainly does not have the reputation of a feminist, mostly as a result of her sexist husband’s loud voice. Maybe especially so because of that, if even she is saying something about it then it means that it is worth paying attention to, not merely as a means of historical preservation, but as a means of uplifting women who have done powerful things in that office.
Still, there are other questions to be asked. For example, why will the ballroom cost nothing? Because Trump has garnered a list of donors who will supposedly foot the bill. Those donors include many of the largest corporations in America, including Amazon, Lockheed Martin, Palantir, Apple, Microsoft and Google, along with other corporations and some assorted oil businessmen. It is worrying enough that two companies that manufacture arms and other weapons technology are donating money to fund a world leader’s personal wishes, not to mention the other companies which hold access to everybody’s online data. The point is that this is clearly an attempt to curry favor and win points with a man who only respects those he views as loyal to him. Why else would international corporations divert large amounts of money towards a project which will never benefit them? At the very least, they hope to get on the dance floor once it is complete, but there are most likely deeper motives.
Will the ballroom really cost taxpayers nothing? Probably not because Trump likes to lie, and it is good for his image to say that it will cost nothing when in reality it is very hard to prove whether it cost taxpayers anything after the fact, let alone trying to foresee that. There are just no reliable statistics that can prove whether taxpayers will feel any monetary effect from the demolition. It is worrying, however, that the White House originally said in July that the donors had gotten $200 million to fully pay for the ballroom and then on Oct. 19, Trump said that the ballroom would cost about $300 million. But maybe that was just because he was worn out from the aftermath of his “very hard” dementia test.
As for the ballroom being finished by 2029, it seems very unlikely. Why? Because Spider-Man: Beyond the Spiderverse was originally set to come out on Mar. 29 last year and now the producers are hoping to release it in 2027. Delays happen all the time, even with things like movies which are, with all respect to them, probably far easier to finish than the construction of a site quite literally at the heart of bureaucracy and policy-making. In fact, it seems likely that the only reason the White House is adamant that the ballroom is going to be finished before 2029 is that by saying it could be finished beyond 2029 it brings up the necessary question of why Trump would be building something he so clearly desires to use for a time which, according to the Constitution, he will not be president. His second term will be up. Of course, he has publicly touted the idea of a third-term for himself, which is horrifyingly king-like, but for the moment that is simply not possible.
Which beckons the final question: Why would this ballroom be built in the first place? There are many places which have served for large gatherings before, and if not inside the White House then there have been many times where tents have been placed to accommodate such state events. Unsightly? Yes, but a constant reminder that this America was built on the rejection of our leaders living in fancy palaces, constantly parading around without a care to the people they lead. This ballroom is a step backwards and towards oligarchy. It is a way for Trump to parade the wealth and power of himself and to attract other wealthy and powerful individuals like those who have already been mentioned as donating money to this cause. These corporations are not just buying tickets to the party, they are buying seats at the table from which Trump will preside in a room intentionally designed to mirror the royal elegance of a palace.
To make a comparison, the “Sun King” King Louis XIV built Versailles as a sign of his extreme power. In it, he housed much of the nobility so that he could force them to his will. He has been universally considered by historians as one of the most powerful kings in the history of the world and was the poster boy of what is now called “absolute monarchy.” The ballroom Trump is building will be about seven times bigger than the largest room in Versailles. This is no mere fancy of Trump’s. This is a statement of power — not America’s power, Trump’s power.
