Summary
- Glenn Beck claims Trump revealed true reason behind renovations.
- Beck says Trump sees ballroom as symbol of legacy.
- Remodeling includes $300 million private-funded White House ballroom.
First Lady Melania has reportedly voiced her disapproval of the president's plans for the historic East Wing, which has been partially dismantled to create room for a grandiose new $300 million ballroom.
“It’s not because he likes gold; he’s doing it to project power and wealth,"
Beck said, speaking on a recent episode of The Glenn Beck Show.
Beck claimed that on a recent visit to the White House, he had spoken with Trump about the ballroom plans in the "private quarters," where the president had disclosed the rationale behind the renovation.
"[He said] You see all the gold? It’s so important. These foreign leaders – they all come from palaces, and they don’t understand. And I know the White House is different, America is different, but they understand power in a different way,”
Beck recalled.
“They’re coming from these old countries and these big buildings and these palaces. And it is important for us to project power."
He added:
"That is why he’s doing it. It’s not because he likes gold; he’s doing it to project power and wealth… Notice how many prime ministers—they’re all flying in all the time from all over the world. I’ve never seen a president meet with so many foreign dignitaries in the White House, all the time.
He knows the language they speak and not just body language or spoken language. That’s what protocol is all about – it all means something.”
Additionally, Beck asserted that Trump was "surprised" that he could make such changes to the iconic and historic structure, but that he was free to make it "as short as he liked" because the president himself controls the building permission process.
The ballroom, which will be financed by private donations, is anticipated to be larger than 1.5 football fields and at least 90,000 square feet. It will have enough seats for 650 people when it is completed. With 200 seats, the East Room is currently utilized for major White House functions.
This will be "The People's House's" first structural alteration since the Truman balcony was added in 1948.
What are the specific changes planned for the East Wing remodeling?
The complete obliteration of the East Wing to make a lavish, 90,000 forecourt bottom chamber that President Trump says will accommodate up to 999 guests. This chamber design’s costs have escalated to around $300 million, funded by private benefactors.
Junking of a portion of the East Wing façade, including areas that housed First Lady Melania Trump’s services and other workspaces. The obliteration has started and is anticipated to be completed soon. Modernization of the East Wing’s installations, including upgrading the movie theater and perfecting technology and security structure.
The East Room, historically a large public event space, is planned to be converted into a blend and event area connecting to the new chamber, involving junking of some windows to produce this in flow.