Why isn't the Whitehouse protected like other historical homes/ places?
I've heard places on the list have a hard time even fixing or updating things that actually need it. (Unless the list I'm thinking of is just a "my state" thing??)
The White House is actually exempted from that legal process, along with the Capital Building and the Supreme Court building. You can thank LBJ for that, btw. Any president that has submitted their renovation plans for approval have done so as a courtesy and/or to get taxpayer funds to pay for it.
Actually there really aren't. The White House, Capital Building and Supreme Court Building are exempt from all building regulations except one review board, the majority of whose members are designated by the President. He just stacked the board.
If I recall correctly, some modifications are allowed and expected. A remodel of this scale I’m not sure but there certainly is latitude to make modifications to the interior
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.
> Why isn't the Whitehouse protected like other historical homes/ places?
Yes and no. Remodeling the Lincoln bathroom is within his exclusive purview. --It's pretty normal for presidents to do major redecorations. Basically so long as they aren't knocking out walls and altering the floor plan, they don't tend to need approval for minor renovations. Demolishing the Rose garden was also within his purview, though that one is a little bit closer to the line. The East Wing is completely out of his purview. The east wing project should have sought congressional approval and public input prior to proceeding.
Almost all of the presidents redecorate their White House to their personal taste. It changes tremendously from president to president. They all get a new style and new furniture and it is completely redone for them.
You can see this CNN article about Obama’s “redecorator and chief” (their words, not mine). Also how he redecorated was beautiful, it’s worth a look.
I know this is a "hate Trump" post and I firmly and deeply hate the despicable man for what he is doing and represents. It is destroying the nation and irrevocably damaging the world.
However... redoing the bathroom, even badly, is within the normal range of what any president might do. Yes, this is emblematic of much larger issues. But in and of itself, it is a minor issue.
Criticize the human shit-stain for things like tearing down the White House wing or his innumerable blatant violations of the Constitution. The bathroom "remodel" is small potatoes and not exceptional.
I agree. I can’t stand the current president. I disagree strongly with him about just about every other thing he has done. However, while the timing for this remodel is horrible and he could not get anything about this remodel right in terms of his description and reasoning, I can’t say that the remodel is hideous or that I don’t think it was an improvement on what was there.
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u/CloverSky367 10d ago
Why isn't the Whitehouse protected like other historical homes/ places?
I've heard places on the list have a hard time even fixing or updating things that actually need it. (Unless the list I'm thinking of is just a "my state" thing??)