Nicolai Haugsted
Trump’s private White House lifestyle exposed in controversial new book.
Fresh claims about Donald Trump’s private life inside the White House are drawing attention after the release of a new book examining his second presidential term.
Journalists Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan make a series of allegations in Regime Change, describing everything from Trump’s late-night eating habits to the way his living quarters were reportedly arranged after returning to the White House.
Their account has sparked renewed debate about life behind closed doors at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Book claims Trump wanted things back the way they were
Speaking on The Bulwark podcast, Haberman discussed several of the book’s claims, including an anecdote suggesting Trump wanted the White House residence restored to the way it looked before leaving office.
She also explained that Melania Trump was absent from the White House during the first months of Trump’s second term, leaving staff uncertain about where some decorative items belonged.
“And the Bidens, actually, on the décor front, didn’t really change a ton of what the Trumps did, but Melania Trump was not there for the first several months and so Trump was picking items from the central hall in the residence that the staff believed she wanted where they were,” Haberman said.
According to Haberman, White House employees came away with the impression that Trump appeared determined to have the more impressive bedroom, noting that the president and first lady do not share the same bedroom.
Late-night snacks and missing silverware
Haberman also described what she says staff observed inside Trump’s personal quarters.
“In his bedroom he, among other things, had a carpeted bathroom, he was a late night snacker. Staff started monitoring the silverware because some was disappearing…into the trash. He lives how he lives,” Haberman said.
Elsewhere in the discussion, Haberman clarified that an earlier reference to Starbucks wrappers had been a typo and should have referred to Starburst candy wrappers instead.
Long-standing questions about Trump’s diet
The new allegations add to previous comments about Trump’s eating habits from members of his own administration.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has previously argued that the president prefers food from major restaurant chains because he believes it is safer while travelling.
Discussing Trump’s diet, Kennedy also made a striking observation about the president’s health.
“He has the constitution of a deity. I don’t know how he’s alive, but he is. He wants to eat food from big corporations because he trusts it and he doesn’t want to get sick when he’s on the road,” Kennedy said.
Trump’s preference for fast food has been widely documented over the years, with allies previously describing campaign days that included multiple McDonald’s meals during the 2024 election race.
