Former first lady Michelle Obama said she felt “a loss for us as a nation” when asked about President Donald Trump’s demolition of the East Wing for a massive new ballroom.
Obama, who was first lady during President Barack Obama’s two terms from 2009 to 2017, shared her response to the removal of the century-old annex in an episode of Jamie Kern Lima’s podcast Tuesday, saying her feelings stemmed from the country and its shared traditions, rather than a personal attachment to the space.
“I think in my body, I felt confusion because I’m like, who are we? What do we value? And who decides that?” Obama said. “That’s the thing that’s going through my head a lot lately. Who are we? What are the rules? Because I’m confused by what are our norms and our mores — not the laws — but how do we live together? That’s the part of it that hurts.”
“I think I felt a loss for us as a nation, but personally, you know … that’s not our house. That’s the people’s house,” she added.
The East Wing has typically housed the first lady’s office and staff, and served as a hub for her public initiatives.
In October, Trump tore down the East Wing of the White House to make room for a 90,000-square-foot ballroom building he estimates will cost $300 million.
The project is one of several transformations the Trump administration has pursued within the White House complex. Since returning to office, he has paved the Rose Garden, erected a pair of 88-foot-tall flagpoles on the North and South lawns, covered the Lincoln Bathroom in marble and mused about potentially painting the Eisenhower Executive Office Building — saying the 137-year-old federal property “was always considered an ugly building.”
In podcast interviews and appearances this year, Obama has grown more vocal about her concerns over Trump’s second term, explaining her decision to skip Trump’s second inauguration in January, and warning that his immigration policies and approach to governing threaten the nation’s values and identity.
She has also used her platform to speak directly to supporters, address renewed scrutiny of her marriage, and earlier this month said the country wasn’t ready for a female president — and that she wouldn’t consider running until she saw growth from the nation.
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