New York Instances reporter Jonathan Swan on Thursday mentioned President Donald Trump spends “an infinite period of time” not on the everyday duties of the nation’s chief however on one thing else completely: White Home decorations and renovations.
“We’ve got a scene within the ebook the place a number of aides are within the room for a extremely labeled protection briefing,” mentioned Swan, who co-authored “Regime Change” with fellow Instances reporter Maggie Haberman.
Then, he briefly burst out right into a chuckle in anticipation of the remainder of the story.
“Sorry,” he mentioned, then continued the anecdote:
“This man walks in, like salt-of-the-earth sort of wanting man, and he’s holding up stone samples for the patio that Trump’s constructing on the Rose Backyard. It’s similar to, extraordinarily labeled, delicate, nationwide safety assembly, this man simply walks in ― he’s clearly obtained, primarily, walk-in privileges to the Oval.”
Not solely did this particular person get to interrupt the labeled nationwide safety assembly, however Trump obtained up, walked out to the Rose Backyard, and began making telephone calls associated to the renovation.
Picture by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Picture by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP through Getty Photographs
Trump final 12 months paved over the Rose Backyard, turning it right into a “membership” much like the patio at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. He’s additionally added gold elaborations all around the Oval Workplace ― a few of which, Swan and Haberman reported, he superglued into place himself ― in addition to gold particulars and signage simply exterior.
And final 12 months, he had all the East Wing knocked down as a part of his plan to construct a large $600 million ballroom, which he has obsessed over publicly however is at present tousled in authorized motion.
He’s additionally taken the lead on tasks elsewhere within the capital, together with the botched renovation of the Reflecting Pool, and plans to construct a large arch within the metropolis.
Swan mentioned there’s one easy motive for all of it.
“He’s actually simply attempting to place his imprint on Washington, D.C., in a everlasting, sturdy approach,” he mentioned.