Kathrine Frich
She describes the demolition scene with deep sadness.
Leaving a cherished workplace usually means handing your desk over to someone new.
Watching the entire building get bulldozed into the ground is a completely different, and deeply jarring, experience.
Now, one former resident is speaking out about seeing her historic office disappear forever.
A dingy discovery
Former first lady Jill Biden recently shared her feelings about the destruction of the East Wing. She discussed the historic space during a conversation with Jesse Tyler Ferguson, according to the Irish Star.
The conversation included a sharp jab at her predecessor. Biden noted that the room was neglected before she arrived to set up her workspace.
“I was the last first lady who worked in that office. I loved the East Wing. It was so beautiful,” Biden said.
She then took aim at Melania Trump. “When we moved in there, the previous inhabitant hadn’t used the office to work in. It was kind of dingy and dull. Had I known that this was gonna happen, I would have purchased everything in that office and taken it with me. But who knew?”
Awkward motorcade moments
The demolition made way for a massive new ballroom ordered by President Donald Trump. Biden explores her feelings about this destruction in her new memoir, which was recently reviewed by the Wall Street Journal.
She describes the demolition scene with deep sadness. “The innards of the East Wing were spread out for everyone to see,” Biden wrote, “like a rare and precious animal that had been hunted down and killed.”
The book also details some tense interactions with Melania Trump. During a motorcade ride for the recent inauguration, a guest asked the current first lady about her son Barron studying at New York University.
According to the memoir, the conversation quickly stalled. Biden wrote that “Melania kept trying to switch the topic to the weather”.
Court clears the path
Despite public outcry over the lost history, the massive construction project is rapidly moving forward. A divided Supreme Court just handed the White House a major legal victory to keep the builders working.
The justices ruled five to four to allow the 400 million dollar ballroom project to continue. This apparent decision replaces a temporary halt order.
Chief Justice John Roberts strongly opposed the ruling. Standing alongside three liberal justices, he argued the project is likely unlawful because Congress never approved the spending.
“Today’s decision is no victory for the separation of powers,” Roberts wrote in a blistering dissent.
Sources: Irish Star, Wall Street Journal
