New York Times reporter Jonathan Swan on Thursday said that President Donald Trump spends an “enormous amount of time” not on typical presidential duties but on White House decorations and renovations, according to the new book “Regime Change,” co-authored with Maggie Haberman.
Classified Briefing Interrupted by Renovation Details
Swan recounted a scene from the book where several aides were in the Oval Office for a highly classified defense briefing. “This guy walks in, like salt-of-the-earth kind of looking guy, and he’s holding up stone samples for the patio that Trump’s building at the Rose Garden,” Swan said, briefly chuckling. “It’s just like, extremely classified, sensitive, national security meeting, this guy just walks in — he’s clearly got, essentially, walk-in privileges to the Oval.”
Trump then got up, walked out to the Rose Garden, and started making phone calls related to the renovation, Swan added.
Trump’s Renovation Projects
Last year, Trump paved over the Rose Garden, turning it into a “club” similar to the patio at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. He has also added gold embellishments throughout the Oval Office — some of which, according to Swan and Haberman, he superglued into place himself — as well as gold details and signage just outside.
Additionally, Trump had the entire East Wing demolished as part of his plan to build a massive $600 million ballroom, which he has publicly obsessed over but is currently tied up in legal action. He has also taken the lead on other capital projects, including the botched renovation of the Reflecting Pool and plans to build a giant arch in Washington, D.C.
Motivation Behind the Renovations
Swan said there is a simple reason for Trump’s focus on renovations. “He’s really just trying to put his imprint on Washington, D.C. in a permanent, durable way,” he explained. The report underscores how Trump’s priorities often diverge from traditional presidential duties, prioritizing aesthetic and structural changes to the White House and surrounding areas.
