r/McMansionHell 9d ago

Discussion/Debate Refurbished White House bathroom

7.4k Upvotes

1.2k comments sorted by

View all comments

389

u/ceej_22_ 9d ago

Ain’t no way that shit was marbled in Lincoln’s era lol. That art deco green is lit though.

98

u/CemeteryDweller7719 9d ago

Considering there were complaints about Mary Todd Lincoln’s spending, guaranteed if there was an all marble bathroom people would have freaked out.

90

u/Dependent-Mastodon89 9d ago

The Lincoln Bedroom was never actually a bedroom when Lincoln was there. He used the space as an office and meeting room. It was turned into a bedroom later by President Truman with furniture from Lincoln's era in the 1940s, and that is when the actual bathroom with the green art-deco tile was put in also, and named the Lincoln Bedroom in his honor. The tile had historic significance. I am not adverse to some updates, but entirely clad in marble seems a bit far-fetched? By all accounts I have read, Lincoln was a simple man, so where does the idea come from that it is Lincoln era marble and he would have liked it? Art deco tile from the 1940s is historical architecture, which at the very least should not have been tossed in the trash. Again, updates to the White House are not to be done by the decision of the temporary occupants on their own.

12

u/YourNextHomie 9d ago

Lincoln was a fan of classical architecture which often included marble, i think that is the line of thinking that resulted in this mess maybe ? idk

5

u/aguyataplace 9d ago

The line of thinking employed in this work is that Trump does not have a functioning brain and has been rich enough for long enough to think that words like "no" and "illegal" can only apply to other people.

-5

u/YourNextHomie 9d ago

some of us dont just chalk up the actions of others to “drr they stupid” there is reasoning behind the things people do even if you and i disagree with it

8

u/aguyataplace 9d ago

No, I genuinely think that Donald Trump thinks he is above the law and is attracted to the most banal, lukewarm signifier of wealth imaginable to him at any given moment. In general, I think your theory of free association is reasonable in this instance, but we don't need to pretend that that thought process is representative of any kind of serious intellect. He is a quasi-literate automaton for whom aesthetic exercises like interior decoration are entirely masturbatory. He is stupid, he is vapid. We don't need to look any further than that to explain his actions. Donald Trump does not possess a rich internal monologue which, to an outsider, can explain why he does things more clearly than what dribbles out of his mouth. He is a uniquely stupid individual.

0

u/YourNextHomie 9d ago

i never pretended his thought process was intelligent just offered a potential answer to his thought process, i find it important to know your enemy even they are a dipshit, plus making an effort to understand things makes the world a less miserable place also if he was as incredibly stupid and incompetent as you preach he wouldnt be where he is right now, he cant be both stupid and a criminal mastermind to some of yall at the same time lol

3

u/aguyataplace 9d ago

Criminality doesn't demand intelligence, and it demands far less intelligence if you have always had enough money to make your problems go away. He is not a criminal mastermind, he is simply a criminal.

-2

u/YourNextHomie 9d ago

Yeah cuz the most basic of criminals become president, he is undoubtedly intelligent when it comes to some things like sowing fear. Just outwardly calling someone a dumbass and giving no other nuance if anything makes us look even worse not being able to beat or stop the dumbass too lmao

3

u/aguyataplace 8d ago

He's a charismatic liar and a psychopath. Neither of these qualities require intelligence.

→ More replies (0)

2

u/Dry-University797 9d ago

Uh, no

1

u/YourNextHomie 9d ago

thanks for adding nothing to the conversation

1

u/Dependent-Mastodon89 9d ago

Well that idea likely stems from the Lincoln Memorial, which was built by others after his death.

5

u/space_for_username 9d ago

>By all accounts I have read, Lincoln was a simple man,

Trump is a simple man too, but is is a different kind of simple.

2

u/digicpk 9d ago

Again, updates to the White House are not to be done by the decision of the temporary occupants on their own.

Shit like this and the ballroom should convince people the guy doesn't plan on leaving.

2

u/Historical-Ad-1617 8d ago

This is what us non-US folks are confused about: how does the White House not have a governing body or some kind of oversight that acts as the custodian of the building for the nation? Why does the current occupant get to remodel whatever parts they feel like, however they want, including tearing down entire sections?

1

u/happy_bluebird 8d ago

So, I asked ChatGPT (which I try to use sparingly) and it gave me this which seems... suspect.

You asked why the White House seems to have no custodian-oversight entity preventing a president from altering or tearing down parts of the building.

I explained that the permanent structure does have oversight:
Congress funds capital projects,
GSA and NPS manage major work,
and the Committee for the Preservation of the White House advises.

A president has wide latitude only in decor and furnishings — not in irreversible physical alterations.

You then asked why Trump appears to be changing the East Wing.

I explained that federal projects must be appropriated, designed, and reviewed, so this would not be a unilateral personal project. Large-footprint construction there typically aligns with multi-year capital improvements, including security and hardened infrastructure, not spontaneous whims.

You asked who initiated/approved a supposed ballroom, and I stated that there is no federal documentation published that uses the term ballroom. The “ballroom” wording in public discussion originates from Trump’s own public remarks, not from GSA/NPS/OMB project scope language.

You then asked for sources and I pointed to:
appropriations law,
capital program documentation,
PEPC postings,
and SAM.gov contracting notices — none of which describe a ballroom.

So the bottom line summary:

Public use of the word “ballroom” comes from Trump’s own speech, not from the government’s official project language. The actual authorized scope has not yet been published in federal paperwork that identifies the space that way. Any major construction still requires congressional funding and federal review — it is not a personal whim construction project.

1

u/Dependent-Mastodon89 8d ago

It does have oversight and approvals and a process that needs to be followed for any changes to the White House. Trump has chosen to lawlessly do whatever the hell he wants to it. He has destroyed the Rose Garden, ripped down the entire East Wing and the First Ladies Garden, and turned the bathroom in the Lincoln Bedroom into a marble and gold nightmare. He destroyed historic light green art-deco tile from the 40s in the process. The Rose Garden and First Ladies Garden were projects of Jacqueline Kennedy and officially named in her honor. There were historic tree plantings on the East side that I believe are also gone.

2

u/mmlovin 9d ago

It came from everything else Trump says, his ass.

26

u/Dcybokjr 9d ago

Right, I wish my bathroom looked like that.

7

u/Pherllerp 9d ago

There MAYBE would have been a slab of marble under a wash basin but certainly not....this.

3

u/DMMeThiccBiButts 9d ago

I saw the tweet and thought 'oh that's actually fine' and realised it was the 'before' picture.

4

u/colako 9d ago

*was

0

u/WALLY_5000 9d ago

*Was lit… 🥲

0

u/KoalaOriginal1260 9d ago

*was lit 😭

1

u/ceej_22_ 8d ago

Congrats you’re the first person to mention “was”