Chelsea Clinton has blasted President Donald Trump, accusing him of showing “a disregard for history” and taking a “wrecking ball to our heritage” over ongoing White House renovations.
Clinton joined others on the Left in expressing outrage over Trump’s renovation plans, which include a new privately funded $250 million ballroom.
In a USA Today op-ed Thursday, Clinton, who lived in the White House during her father Bill Clinton’s presidency, claimed Trump’s modernization efforts demonstrate a “defining trait” of his second administration: a lack of respect for history.
“A disregard for history is a defining trait of President Trump’s second administration,” Clinton wrote.
The former first daughter raged over what she described as “reckless changes” to national institutions, including updates to the Smithsonian and the Pentagon’s handling of the Enola Gay exhibit.
Clinton acknowledged that presidents have long made upgrades to the White House, but argued Trump’s redesigns, particularly the demolition of part of the East Wing to construct the new ballroom, crossed a line.
“Renovations aren’t inherently objectionable because of who orders them or who pays for them,” she wrote.
“But authority is not the same as stewardship.
“Stewardship requires transparency, consultation, and an accounting for history.”
“This is what happens when we take a wrecking ball to our heritage,” she added.
Trump’s “World-Class” Ballroom Sparks Outrage Among Democrats
The new East Wing ballroom, reportedly financed through a combination of Trump’s personal funds and corporate sponsorships, will replace part of the existing structure and serve as a large-scale event venue for state and private functions.
The $250 million project has generated intense backlash from left-wing critics and liberal historical preservationists, who called the demolition “jarring.”
Clinton’s mother, former First Lady Hillary Clinton, also weighed in on X this week, writing:
“It’s not his house. It’s your house.
“And he’s destroying it.”
The New York Times described the project as “disorienting,” while some architectural historians questioned whether the expansion would alter the symbolic heart of the White House grounds.
But the Trump administration pushed back, calling the criticism manufactured outrage.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the attacks during a Fox News interview:
“Nearly every single president who’s lived in this beautiful White House behind me has made modernizations and renovations of their own,” Leavitt said.
“In fact, presidents for decades — in modern times — have joked about how they wished they had a larger event space here at the White House.”
Trump himself told reporters the project will create a “world-class” addition to the presidential residence and emphasized that taxpayer money will not be used.
Online Backlash Targets the Clintons
While Chelsea Clinton’s op-ed quickly went viral, it also triggered a wave of backlash on social media.
Many conservatives are pointing out the irony of a Clinton criticizing White House decorum.
“Your dad turned the White House into his own personal Burning Man tent, and we all get it,” one commentator wrote.
“I’m sorry, but of all the people I want to hear from least on the subject of desecrating the White House, it’s anyone with the surname Clinton,” another added.
Your dad turned the White House into his own personal Burning Man tent, and we all get it.
But do yourself a favor and kindly shut the fuck up on this topic. https://t.co/3GRUngcktJ
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) October 24, 2025
Despite the criticism, Clinton stood by her remarks, arguing that the White House belongs to the people and that Trump’s approach to modernization “erodes the dignity of the office.”
The controversy underscores a familiar theme of the Trump era as Democrats continue denouncing the president’s every move, even those that align with long-standing presidential precedent.
As Leavitt noted, Trump’s renovations are part of a legacy of White House modernization that includes everything from Jacqueline Kennedy’s restoration to Obama-era infrastructure upgrades.
Trump’s ballroom, she said, will be “a stunning addition to the People’s House — and a space that future presidents will thank him for.”
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