Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Miles Archer

(21,572 posts)
Sat Oct 25, 2025, 08:00 AM Oct 25

Trump's $300 million monument to himself includes a staircase "leading up to no clear landing" and "colliding windows"

Trump’s ballroom design a ‘hurried process’ that includes stairs to nowhere: report

https://www.rawstory.com/white-house-2674232645/

“Architects and historians say that it is not unusual for designs to change during a project like this, but that Mr. Trump has not followed the typical process for White House renovations, which normally involve reviews by organizations like the National Capital Planning Commission,” the report reads. “And the various plans Mr. Trump has shared have suggested a hurried process.”

Trump revealed more details on the plans for the proposed ballroom this week, including new design renderings of the facility’s exterior. The Times, however, noted in its report that there were “some mistakes” in at least one of the design renderings, including a staircase “leading up to no clear landing,” and “colliding windows.”

The price of the ballroom ballooned this week from $200 million to $300 million, and construction on the project – originally slated to begin last month – has been delayed to an undetermined date.

The Trump administration has also received scrutiny for destroying the East Wing to make way for the ballroom, with images and video
of a bulldozer gutting the historic building shocking critics. The fallout from the East Wing’s was so severe that Secret Service agents closed access to a nearby park from which members of the media were taking photos and videos of the facility’s demolition.

23 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Trump's $300 million monument to himself includes a staircase "leading up to no clear landing" and "colliding windows" (Original Post) Miles Archer Oct 25 OP
It also has a two story connector that goes to the second story of the main house, forever fucking up the integrity Blues Heron Oct 25 #1
Trump will be able to walk directly from the residence and descend regally down the gold staircase to the applause sop Oct 25 #12
A gold Slip-N-Slide!!! ret5hd Oct 25 #21
Yes, let's hear all the moderates tell us how very qualified the architects travelingthrulife Oct 25 #2
Winchester house................... Lovie777 Oct 25 #3
My first thought. Maybe it'll be haunted, too. nt Buns_of_Fire Oct 25 #6
GMTA - sounding eerily similar... Wounded Bear Oct 25 #18
It's going to be th Winchester House of Ballrooms... haele Oct 25 #4
Trump doesn't care. The US taxpayer will have to repair, fix, maintain the wreck of a building. Irish_Dem Oct 25 #5
The only thing taxpayers should have to pay for is tearing down the monstrosity and rebuilding the original East Wing. sop Oct 25 #9
Trump should have to pay to repair the damage he has caused. Irish_Dem Oct 25 #23
I'm starting to think it's a bunker, not a ballroom. yardwork Oct 25 #7
I'm sure it will be festooned past the point of wretched excess with gold on everything, but... Miles Archer Oct 25 #14
I'm with you on that. yardwork Oct 25 #19
I for one do not care about his plans as he plays with his doll house... Hope22 Oct 25 #8
Howard Roark, he ain't. no_hypocrisy Oct 25 #10
Trump University School of Architecture dalton99a Oct 25 #11
"My scheme for collecting money includes a fake ballroom!" struggle4progress Oct 25 #13
I hope they hold the new Nuremberg trials there orangecrush Oct 25 #15
A I architecture dweller Oct 25 #16
If I were a rich man ... Emrys Oct 25 #17
No one has mentioned snowybirdie Oct 25 #20
Expect that figure to climb louis-t Oct 25 #22

Blues Heron

(8,274 posts)
1. It also has a two story connector that goes to the second story of the main house, forever fucking up the integrity
Sat Oct 25, 2025, 08:03 AM
Oct 25

Of the original design.

sop

(17,319 posts)
12. Trump will be able to walk directly from the residence and descend regally down the gold staircase to the applause
Sat Oct 25, 2025, 08:29 AM
Oct 25

of his adoring followers below. Since he can barely negotiate stairs any longer, maybe it will be a gold escalator?

ret5hd

(22,153 posts)
21. A gold Slip-N-Slide!!!
Sat Oct 25, 2025, 09:51 AM
Oct 25

i’ll leave it to your imagination as to the liquid “gold”.

haele

(15,044 posts)
4. It's going to be th Winchester House of Ballrooms...
Sat Oct 25, 2025, 08:06 AM
Oct 25

Just to escape the Ghosts of Epstein Island coming to haunt him

Irish_Dem

(79,459 posts)
5. Trump doesn't care. The US taxpayer will have to repair, fix, maintain the wreck of a building.
Sat Oct 25, 2025, 08:10 AM
Oct 25

sop

(17,319 posts)
9. The only thing taxpayers should have to pay for is tearing down the monstrosity and rebuilding the original East Wing.
Sat Oct 25, 2025, 08:20 AM
Oct 25

In a sane world Trump would be sued and ordered to cover the cost.

yardwork

(68,902 posts)
7. I'm starting to think it's a bunker, not a ballroom.
Sat Oct 25, 2025, 08:16 AM
Oct 25

I may be giving Trump and his minions too much credit. I see two possibilities. One is that Trump's addled narcissistic brain wants a ballroom so they're building him one as quickly as possible, with the usual level of competence associated with his regime.

The other possibility is that he intends to be a permanent dictator and this "ballroom" is actually going to be a fortress that he can retreat into. The White House was never designed to be like the Kremlin. It was built to be the residence and office of a president in a democracy, accessible and visible to the public.

Trump wants a castle. The plans are secret. The "ballroom" plans are fake.

I don't know, just speculating.

Miles Archer

(21,572 posts)
14. I'm sure it will be festooned past the point of wretched excess with gold on everything, but...
Sat Oct 25, 2025, 08:40 AM
Oct 25

...who knows?

People keep pointing to Trump's cankles and his hand and his droopy face and his cognitive decline and all of the rest, but...

...I still stand behind what I have said consistently, which is that Fred Trump was pure walking evil incarnate, and he lived to 94, and I'm of the belief that Orange Hitler could do the same. SURE...he'd be one hot mess, we're already in "Weekend At Bernie's" turf with Miller and Vought running the country while America's favorite rapin' grampy plays Bob the Builder, but he could go on for that for a LONG time. A really, really LONG time.

yardwork

(68,902 posts)
19. I'm with you on that.
Sat Oct 25, 2025, 09:11 AM
Oct 25

Trump has obvious personality disorders and health issues. He could have dementia, too. But there's no reason to assume he's going anywhere soon. He's got the best healthcare in the world. Dick Cheney is still alive, for instance.

Hope22

(4,435 posts)
8. I for one do not care about his plans as he plays with his doll house...
Sat Oct 25, 2025, 08:19 AM
Oct 25

…as Americans plan to go hungry, imagine their lives without healthcare, fear of navigating their towns and cities as masked men have their way with the people. What is next, white phosphorus? If this were grandpa he would be in a home continuing to dream of destroying the world safely locked behind doors. But no, we listen and watch as he tears the fabric of our world to shreds. Enough already, impeach and remove him and if the same feeble senators refuse to do their jobs and protect our lives and way of life they will have to answer. They had two chances to do their jobs and right thing. This childish, mad drama has gone on far too long. Call the doctors and psychiatrists and get to the bottom of this madness!! In the meantime he prepares to fly off to other countries to pull us into god knows what. The only certainty is his pockets will be fat with other peoples money when he returns and the American people will be on the hook for financing the debacle!

Emrys

(8,910 posts)
17. If I were a rich man ...
Sat Oct 25, 2025, 08:54 AM
Oct 25

Ya ba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dum
All day long, I'd biddy biddy bum
If I were a wealthy man
I wouldn't have to work hard
Ya ba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dum
If I were a biddy biddy rich yidle-diddle-didle-didle man

I'd build a big, tall house with rooms by the dozen
Right in the middle of the town
A fine tin roof with real wooden floors below
There would be one long staircase just going up
And one even longer coming down
And one more leading nowhere, just for show

- Sheldon Harnick and Lewis Bock Jerrold

snowybirdie

(6,551 posts)
20. No one has mentioned
Sat Oct 25, 2025, 09:19 AM
Oct 25

that there will no longer be visitors to the White House. That was always a special treat whenever I or my family visited DC. Who wants the people in the Peoples House?

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Trump's $300 million monu...