We, the American people, built a monument to George Washington, the father of our country. We built a memorial to Thomas Jefferson, the author of our Declaration of Independence. We built a memorial to Abraham Lincoln, the president who freed the slaves and sacrificed his life to keep the country from splintering apart.
President Trump is building a monument to himself in the form of a massive ballroom that by many accounts will be larger than the White House itself.
Some may wonder how many events will be held every year in this majestic ballroom, which is being designed to accommodate 650 people. This is a good question, but kind of irrelevant. This is all about national prestige.
In all fairness, it should be acknowledged that the East Room of the White House where many official events are held can only accommodate 200 people, and the room itself is relatively small. It lends itself to more dignified, even intimate events such as quiet dinners with visiting Heads of State. Larger events require the erection of a massive, temporary tent-like structure on the White House grounds, which is not a particularly good look for the world’s richest country.
In contrast, the new ballroom will undoubtably be an overwhelming edifice, full of marble, gold leaf, and crystal chandeliers. Its sheer size and opulence will be sure to leave a lasting impression on all who are invited to attend an event being held there. I am sure that President Trump fully expects that it will be said that only a great country with a great leader could conceive of such a thing.
And, to some extent, perception can become reality. A grand ballroom can become a tool of diplomacy, a display of wealth and, by extension, power.
There are concerns that the massive scale of the ballroom building will draw attention away from the White House and throw off the esthetic balance of the White House grounds. Based solely on the limited renderings of the ballroom project that have been released to the public, the ballroom building does seem to be out of proportion to the White House itself.
The solution to this is simple and straightforward. In much the same way that the new ballroom will essentially take the place of the East Wing of the White House, the West Wing of the White House should be replaced with a much larger building. A much larger West Wing would bring an esthetic balance to the White House grounds, visually balancing out the size of the new ballroom building.
From a functional point of view, a larger West Wing would be able to accommodate a greater number of Executive Branch offices and do so in a more spacious manner. From all accounts, the current West Wing is surprisingly cramped and crowded.
Although there is no indication that the replacement of the West Wing is part of President Trump’s current vision, I believe that he would approve. I encourage President Trump to begin the planning for a new West Wing as part of his legacy.
Regardless of what your opinion of the President is, President Trump is fixated on his monumental ballroom. It will be built. It is destined to be one of the lasting achievements of the Trump administration, one of the few, perhaps, that does not benefit the wealthy at the expense of the poor, deport the defenseless, or threaten individuals, institutions and corporations with financial ruin or imprisonment simply for doing their jobs or having a difference of opinion.