How Donald Trump is transforming the White House into his own ‘palace’
Donald Trump is hoping to replace the White House Ionic columns with Corinthian ones – his latest bid to transform the home into more of a Trump-esque ‘palace’.
He’s already unveiled plans for an ornate ballroom, for which he destroyed the historic East Wing of the White House.
Trump also placed gold gilded accents in the Oval Office, including new, heavy gold font signs similar to those in Mar-a-Lago.
Now? His aim is the famous Ionic columns at the entrance of the White House, which have stood proudly for more than 200 years.
The Trump-appointed head of the federal arts commission has proposed replacing the four columns with the Corinthian style, which is on the US Capitol and Supreme Court buildings.
Rodney Mims Cook Jr said: ‘Corinthian is the highest order [of column], and that’s what our other two branches of government have.
‘Why the White House didn’t originally use them, at least on the north front, which is considered the front door, is beyond me.’
A White House spokesperson has confirmed to the Washington Post that there are no current plans to change the Ionic columns outside the White House.
But Cook said he hopes to pose the idea to the President soon, which could mean a big change is in store for the exterior of America’s most famous building.
Classical architecture Professor Steven Semes, of the University of Notre Dame, said new columns would be ‘inappropriate’.
He told the Washington Post that the Ionic columns evoke ‘dignity, grace and domesticity’ – whereas Corinthian columns are used to express ‘formality and monumentality’.
Long known as the People’s House, changing the White House’s exterior after 200 years could also anger Americans who feel they have no say.
Trump’s love of gilded things has stretched into the White House during his second term, however.
In his apartment in Trump Tower, gold Corinthian columns stretch from floor to ceiling.
He also plans to put them in the new White House ballroom’s 90,000 square foot ‘gilded ballroom’.
In October, Trump’s decision to demolish the historic East Wing of the White House angered many Americans, as he made way for the new construction.
The ballroom is expected to hold 1,000 guests, but the sheer size of it has made its completion date of January 2029 very ambitious, according to people close to the operation.
Trump insists that presidents have desired such a ballroom for 150 years and that he is adding the massive 90,000-square-foot, glass-walled space because the East Room was too small.
The ballroom will be the biggest structural change to the executive mansion since the addition in 1948 of the Truman Balcony overlooking the South Lawn, even dwarfing the residence itself.
The White House released a list of private donors it says are funding the ballroom, including Amazon, Google, Meta, and billionaire investors.
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