On Monday’s episode of FNC’s The Ingraham Angle, President Trump responded to former First Lady Michelle Obama’s criticism of his East Wing renovations.
“When we talk about the East Wing, it is the heart of the work. And to denigrate it, to tear it down, to pretend like it doesn’t matter—it’s a reflection of how you think of that role,” Obama said during her interview with Vanity Fair.
Obama’s comments echoed past criticism of the East Wing renovation. In a recent interview with Stephen Colbert, she referred to it as the part of the White House that brings “light” and “joy,” saying she feels “confused” and “lost” about the nation’s current values. She likened the East Wing’s conversion into a ballroom to her disillusionment with Trump’s America.
Host Laura Ingraham asked Trump about the former first lady’s recent remarks: “Michelle Obama had something to say about the ballroom and the new ballroom. During an event to promote her new book, she said, when we talk about the East Wing, it’s the heart of the work. And to denigrate it, to tear it down, to pretend like it doesn’t matter, it’s a reflection of how you think of that role. Why is she wrong?”
President Trump gave the following response:
“Well, first of all, the East Wing was a beautiful little tiny structure that was built many years ago that was renovated and expanded and de-expanded, and columns ripped out. It had nothing to do with the original building. It was a poor, sad site. And I could have built the ballroom around it, but it would not have been. We’re building one of the greatest ballrooms in the world. By the way, zero money spent by the government. Zero. The East Wing is being spent by private donors. And it’s a 250, $300 million building. It’s going to be the most beautiful anywhere in the world. It will be a large, beautiful — you know, they had an event the other day. They could held — with tables, they could hold 79 people. Now, if you have President Xi from China, or if you have some big state event, we have no place to have it.
Obama wouldn’t mind this. Mrs. Obama, obviously, wouldn’t mind. They would put a tent on the lawn. It was a low section because that’s the only section you have. So, it was a low section. If it rained, you were sitting in six inches of water. It was a disaster. We’re going to have the best ballroom anywhere in the world. And I built a lot of them, you know that. You know a lot of them. This will be one of the greatest ballrooms in [the world].”
Laura Ingraham asks President Trump about the White House Ballroom and what First Lady Melania thinks after criticism from Michelle Obama pic.twitter.com/dlUZzjPPas
— FLOTUS Report (@MELANIAJTRUMP) November 11, 2025
HERE SHE GOES AGAIN: Michelle Obama is upset about Trump’s renovations of East Wing
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