Washington Examiner Senior Writer Joe Concha said the people who care about the demolition of the White House’s East Wing for a ballroom are suffering from “ballroom derangement syndrome.”
“I don’t think one person [is hyperfocused on the ballroom],” Concha said on Fox & Friends First. “If you go to a soccer game or barbecue this weekend, a tailgate, no one is talking about this except those suffering from BDS, ballroom derangement syndrome.”
President Donald Trump announced the 90,000 square-foot ballroom construction project in late July, which was slated to cost $200 million, funded entirely by private donors and himself.
Trump said on Wednesday the project now costs $300 million, but the White House website said it would cost “approximately $250 million.”
TRUMP SAYS ENTIRE EAST WING TO BE DEMOLISHED FOR BALLROOM CONSTRUCTION
Concha said presidents often renovate the White House, highlighting projects under Republican and Democratic administrations.
“You can go down the line, Republican or Democrat,” Concha said. “Teddy Roosevelt, he built the West Wing. Taft created the executive office, the Oval Office. FDR added an entire East Wing and even built an indoor pool for himself, which I would’ve done, of course. Truman gutted the entire White House. Nixon added a bowling alley before he Munsoned himself.”
“And now they criticize Trump when he is building a ballroom with his own money, not taxpayer money. I mean, just shut the front door, guys,” Concha added.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM CONSTRUCTION
Concha said the media have praised White House renovations in the past, mentioning former President Barack Obama’s $4 million renovation in 2010 and former first lady Jackie Kennedy’s renovations.
Concha said the media were “in awe” of Obama’s renovations and added that Kennedy’s renovations were “so embraced” by the media and people that they had a televised special, for which Kennedy won an Emmy Award.
“Why do I get the feeling that maybe if a Democratic administration was adding a ballroom to the White House that we wouldn’t hear one word from those like Hillary Clinton, who went off on this talking about the ‘sanctity’ of the White House and how special it is when she and Bill Clinton literally rented out the Lincoln Bedroom to 938 people,” Concha said.
“So maybe take two seats on this,” Concha added about Hillary Clinton.
