President Donald Trump is headed into the second half of his second term. He seems to be trying to leave his own distinctive imprint on the White House and Washington, D.C. Take the Oval Office, for example, Although each president likes to display their family pics and make some modest adjustments to the decor, the aesthetic is usually subdued and muted. Not with Trump, however, He prefers a far more flamboyant look. There are splashy gold touches throughout the storied executive office. The effect is regal rather than restrained. And then there is the epic ballroom in progress. Part of the historic Executive Mansion was torn down to accommodate the massive structure. That demolition riled a lot of preservationists and observers.
Videos by Wide Open Country
Not everyone approves of all these alterations. One of the detractors is former President Joe Biden. He gave Trump's efforts at architecture and interior design a very firm thumbs-down.With Biden's new book, Promise Me, America, about to come out on Tuesday, he is using its rollout as an opportunity to speak publicly.
Biden Came Out Swinging When Talking About Trump's Sweeping Renovations
Joe Biden is perturbed, to say the least. He strongly dislikes the approach that Donald Trump is taking when it comes to making changes in how the White House looks. In fact, per People, he said the elimination of the East Wing and the construction of the ballroom were "Almost as disturbing as the gold bars on the walls of the White House and the Oval Office."
Furthermore, Biden sees the president's makeover of iconic spaces like the Oval Office as more self-serving than patriotic. "I mean, what the hell are we talking about? I find it disturbing ... I've viewed the president's judgment in tearing down the East Wing and a number of other things as nothing more than to try to create monuments to himself: 'I built that.' I find it beneath the country."
On top of the aforementioned redo's, Trump also got rid of the Rose Garden lawn and plans a huge triumphal arch that is already drawing heavy criticism.
What He Misses About the White House
It's not the symbolic nature of the landmark at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue or the sense of quiet grandeur that Joe Biden misses about the White House. It's the dedicated people who work there. He told the outlet, "They're good people, from the people making sure there's a sheet on the bed to the people who are taking care of all the visitors that come through. They all have a sense of honor, what they're doing in the White House. It's the 'People's House.'"
