As part of his nine-figure plan to renovate the White House, President Trump has controversially decided to gold-plate certain elements of his royal palace.
For those who are unaware, the Republican team first declared last week (31 July) that a whopping $200 million (£150 million) would be invested in the construction of a new ballroom.
One section of the announcement wrote: “The White House is one of the most beautiful and historic buildings in the world, yet the White House is currently unable to host major functions honouring world leaders and other countries without having to install a large and unsightly tent approximately 100 yards away from the main building entrance.”
According to CNN, the latest additions came only weeks after the 79-year-old began adding ‘gold piece after gold piece’ to areas of the property, ‘including tiny gold cherubs over the entryway’ of the Oval Office.
“A lot of the finishes that he wants closely resemble his private clubs,” journalist Kevin Liptak previously explained of the gold in an Instagram video. “And some of the details have actually been imported from Mar-a-Lago.”
In response to the announcement, some critics speculated that the elaborate repairs were part of Trump’s intention to stay in the White House for a third term, while others were taken aback by how the money was spent.
Taking to X (formely Twitter), one user hit out: “Trump is gold plating everything in the White House while cutting can.cer research and meals on wheels.”
“I don’t know how you justify covering the White House in gold after you cut can.cer research funding and SNAP benefits for poor, hungry children,” another hit out, before asking: “Explain it to me like I’m a starving child with cancer.”
Another pointed out: “This is F—king real. They are throwing kids off of school meals and Medicaid and putting real gold all over the White House as if Saddam Hussein was president.”
Summarising the events, another added: “Trump is now remodeling the Oval Office to cover it in gold after ordering a $200 million golden ballroom. All after cutting 17 million Americans’ health care and taking food away from hungry children.”
Someone else also slammed the President, adding: “Whatever your politics and whether you like President Trump, love him, MAGA, Ultra-MAGA, Super-MAGA, I don’t care. I will say all the gold in the White House is disgusting.
“America doesn’t do this. We don’t have Saddam palaces. Or kings. We just don’t. Well we didn’t use to.”
Another wrote: “Are you ok with Trump spending $200,000,000.00 on a Gold- plated Ballroom at the White House while also cutting school meals for millions of needy children and Medicaid for millions of poor Americans?”
According to CNBC, the slew of concerns stems from last month’s revelation that the Republican administration’s ‘big beautiful’ reconciliation package includes’substantial’ cutbacks to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
As a result of Trump’s financial legislation, 22.3 million families in the United States will or have already lost their benefits, including basic food aid provisions.
According to the New York Times, the President’s measure will result in the largest decrease to SNAP since 1939, when the food stamp program began during the Great Depression.
