Harv's Corner 12/01/2025

Harv's Corner

Does anyone else see something wrong with this?  Let's forget about supporting our country and build a ballroom.  Everyone knows we need one!

​East Wing ‘a loss for us as a nation’
Michelle Obama speaks on Trump’s demolition.
By BRIANNA TUCKER The Washington Post

Michelle Obama

Former First Lady Michelle Obama said she felt "a loss for us as a nation" regarding President Donald Trump's demolition of the East Wing for a massive new ballroom.

Obama, who was first lady during President Barack Obama's two terms from 2009 to 2017, shared her response to the removal of the century-old annex in an episode of Jamie Kern Lima's podcast Tuesday, saying her feelings stemmed from the country and its shared traditions, rather than a personal attachment to the space.

"I felt confusion because I'm like, who are we? What do we value? And who decides that?" Obama said. "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 and our mores — not the laws — but how do we live together? That's the part of it that hurts."

"I think I felt a loss for us as a nation, but personally, you know ... that's not our house. That's the people's house," she added. The East Wing has typically housed the first lady's offi ce and staff, and served as a hub for her public initiatives.

In October, Trump tore down the East Wing of the White House to make room for a 90,000-square-foot ballroom building he estimates will cost $300 million.
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The project is one of several transformations the Trump administration has pursued within the White House complex. Since returning to offi ce, he has paved the Rose Garden, erected a pair of 88-foottall flagpoles on the North and South lawns, covered the Lincoln Bathroom in marble and mused about potentially painting the Eisenhower Executive Office Building — saying the 137-year-old federal property "was always considered an ugly building."

In interviews and appearances this year, Obama has grown more vocal about her concerns over Trump's second term, explaining her decision to skip Trump's second inauguration in January, and warning that his approach to governing threatens the nation's values and identity.