January 1, Democrats Panic Over Trump’s Ballroom Plan

Wyatt’s Take

• Rep. Eric Swalwell demands Democrats pledge to destroy Trump’s planned White House ballroom.
• Other top Democrats and media voices join the outrage.
• White House says every president updates the building.

Rep. Eric Swalwell wants any Democrat running for president in 2028 to promise they’ll tear down President Trump’s new White House ballroom. Other Democrats have also erupted in anger over the planned construction, which is set to cost private donors and Trump himself around $250 million to $300 million.

“Don’t even think of seeking the Democratic nomination for president unless you pledge to take a wrecking ball to the Trump Ballroom on DAY ONE,” Swalwell posted on X.

The term “BDS” — Ballroom Derangement Syndrome — is trending as a jab at Trump critics, echoing “TDS,” Trump Derangement Syndrome, from his first term.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar said the ballroom plan is “taking a wrecking ball to our democracy,” while Rep. Hakeem Jeffries claims it lets Trump be “celebrated as if he was a king.” Hillary Clinton and Chelsea Clinton have also bashed the project, calling it demeaning to the White House.

The ballroom, first announced by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, will hold about 650 guests and follow the White House’s classic style. Leavitt says “nearly every single president who has lived in this beautiful White House behind me has made modernizations and renovations of their own.”

During the Obama years, large events used a tent on the lawn with portable bathrooms. Reactions from regular voters show the usual red-blue split, from supporting more space for events to questioning the whole idea.

Stay tuned for more stories on the kitchen-table issues shaping America.

Wyatt Matters

Heartland folks know common-sense upgrades don’t destroy tradition. The outrage over this ballroom is just more political theater far removed from the real struggles facing everyday Americans.

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