Donald Trump’s Ridiculous White House Renovations Have The Internet Comparing Him To A Not-So-Loved Historical Figure

mrarup822 weeks ago

0 0 3 minutes read

Hi, I’m Alexa, and I usually track the unemployment rate, cost of eggs/beef, gas prices, inflation, and more under the Trump administration. BUT, the numbers aren’t enough anymore. Actions speak just as loud.

BuzzFeed

Somehow, we’ve left A LOT in the hands of this guy.

A person in a suit with a red tie raises both hands in a gesture at a speaking event — Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images

And that guy? Well, he’s been giving major ✨Marie Antoinette Energy✨ lately.

You know Marie, the French queen who became a symbol of the rich and powerful during the French Revolution. She lived in opulence while many were starving, and has been most popularly attributed (perhaps mistakenly) to the phrase, “Let them eat cake!” At the time, her subjects were starving and had no money for bread (let alone cake, which was even more expensive).

Historical portrait of a woman in an 18th-century gown holding a rose, with elaborate hair and lace details — Universal History Archive / Getty Images / Andrew Harnik

Consider how, for example, nearly 70% of Americans say they’re experiencing financial stress amid continually rising prices. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is bragging about all the money supposedly made from tariffs — aka, money partially coming directly out of your pockets via those rising prices. (At least Marie didn’t hear that her people were starving and then add an additional tax on bread.)

For many online, the leaders’ relationships with their disgruntled and financially struggling public isn’t where the similarities end. Instead, the glaring overlap seems to be both Marie and Trump’s extravagant spending.

Universalimagesgroup / Getty Images, Win Mcnamee / Getty Images

Look at the difference in the Oval Office. Here’s what it looked like under Biden.

Two officials seated in a formal meeting room, surrounded by portraits and press microphones

And now under Trump.

Several people, including two individuals shaking hands, are seated in a formal room with microphones overhead and a wall of portraits in the background

Trump’s team has added a LOT of gold.

Group of people in a formal meeting in a room with portraits and gold frames, microphones overhead, seated on chairs and sofas, discussing at a table — Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images

Gold decor on the fireplace mantle…

A portrait of a historical military figure in uniform is displayed above a mantel adorned with ornate gold decorations — The Washington Post / Getty Images

…and on the fireplace itself.

Two men seated in a formal room with a model airplane on the table. One waves, the other points. Both are in suits with ties — Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images

Gold around the crown molding.

People in formal attire speak in a room with framed portraits and ornate detailing, under overhead microphones. — Andrew Harnik / Getty Images

Gold around the presidential seal on the ceiling.

Seal of the President of the United States displayed on a surface, featuring an eagle and surrounded by a circle of stars — Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

Gold details on the walls.

Two men in suits shake hands in an ornate room with a presidential podium and a portrait in the background — Brendan Smialowski / Getty Images

Gold on the doors.

Twitter: @patriottakes

Personalized, golden coasters.

Gold-plated block with "Trump" and U.S. presidential seal, reflecting on a polished surface — Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

Tacky gold drapes.

A person in a star-spangled outfit and hat smiles with crossed arms beside someone in a suit, seated at a desk in a formal setting — Andrew Harnik / Getty Images

And whatever this gold thing is above the Oval Office door.

Golden cherub statue with ornate detailing situated in a decorative architectural setting — Jim Watson / Getty Images

Trump has also taken it upon himself to (in my opinion) needlessly renovate the White House. He took the famed Rose Garden from this…

A lush garden with blooming flowers and neatly trimmed hedges in front of a large, historic white building with arched windows — Imagecatcher News Service / Getty Images

…to this.

White House patio with yellow umbrellas and chairs, surrounded by greenery under a cloudy sky — Brendan Smialowski / Getty Images

And according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, more expansions are on the way…

Person at a podium in a press briefing, holding up an architectural rendering, with the White House emblem behind — Bloomberg / Getty Images

Including a gold and white ballroom that’s expected to cost around $200 million.

A person at a podium holds and discusses an image of a formal room, with the White House emblem visible in the background — Bloomberg / Getty Images

And just like the French in the 1790s, Americans are less than impressed.

A tweet by Meacham saying, "It's like a Dollar Tree version of Versailles."

“building a giant ballroom while half the country loses healthcare and is in poverty and can’t find housing or rent… i feel like I’m reading about pre-revolution france,” one X user wrote.

Tweet expressing concern over building a large ballroom amidst national healthcare cuts and poverty, comparing it to pre-revolution France

“Listen man, if you wanna live in the palace of Versailles then that’s fine, but you can’t act surprised when the people eventually start sharpening the guillotine,” another added hyperbolically. (This particular tweet was among the most widespread, with 3.3 million views.)

Tweet by Big Tucson Dad: "Listen man, if you wanna live in the palace of Versailles then that’s fine, but you can’t act surprised when..."

Sigh. This administration promised to get rid of wasteful government spending. That was the whole point of DOGE. Yet we’re plastering gold on White House walls and building out $200-million ballrooms while nearly 14 million children face hunger in the US as of 2023. Maybe the call is coming from inside the House.

Person standing on the roof of a historic building with arms outstretched, accompanied by two others, one at a distance — Win Mcnamee / Getty Images

Want to know if Trump’s economy is actually doing as well as he promised? Subscribe to the Economy Hate Watch newsletter and never miss our monthly update.