Constant delays to the White House ballroom are being caused by Donald Trump's "tantrums" and "impulsiveness", a political commentator has claimed.
The president made his plans for the $200million turned $400million ballroom project known in July this year, but the renovation has hit more than a few snags. Trump has been hit by more than one lawsuit regarding his changes to the White House and surrounding buildings, and the head architect of his proposed East Wing renovation quit earlier this year.
It is hardly the best start for Trump's plan, which columnist Amanda Marcotte believes is the president's only chance to leave his legacy in the White House. Trump's initial plan for the ballroom has expanded, and as such, the project has been delayed.
Marcotte, writing in Salon, suggested, "Trump keeps changing things, driven by a short-sighted impulsiveness that keeps pushing him to expand the scope of the project. Initially, it was supposed to seat 650 people in 90,000 square feet, but he kept throwing tantrums about how he wanted it bigger."
"The projected price tag has already ballooned from $200 million to $400 million, but those numbers have almost no meaning since they don’t correlate to any plans that would generate an estimate."
Marcotte added that the changes made to other parts of the White House, including a "presidential walk of fame" would be removed quickly by his successor.
She wrote, "While talking up the ballroom project, his actual renovations of the White House have only been destructive, like demolishing the East Wing. Others are so flimsy and gaudy that they will be gone by the end of the first day of the next president."
"This attempt by Trump to leave his mark is destined for the trash heap, probably before 3 p.m. on Jan. 20, 2029. He’s restarted weak efforts to pretend he’ll just take an illegal third term, but his apparent poor health and exhaustion leaves most wondering if he’ll be able to make it through the second."
"Efforts to force a lasting legacy are maddening, but ultimately, they will fail. Trump will be felled by the worthlessness he’s spent a lifetime trying to conceal with cheap parlor tricks, because he’s incapable of making a true, lasting contribution."