White House uses building history site to demean Democrat presidents
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A worker clears rubble on Thursday after a section of White House East Wing was demolished for President Trump's ballroom. Photo: Eric Lee/Getty Images
The White House is using a government web page to troll Democrats including former President Obama, as President Trump faces backlash over the demolition of the East Wing for his $300 million ballroom project.
The big picture: Officials added a "Major Events Timeline" to the "about the White House" page featuring sections that appear to mock Obama and former Presidents Clinton and Biden, and speculate about cocaine found at the White House in 2023.
- Trump is facing growing criticism over his ballroom project after initially saying the construction wouldn't "interfere" with the original structure and that it would cost $200 million.
Driving the news: The timeline details the White House's original design plans in 1791 and includes dates of notable additions, such as the Oval Office and briefing room.
The latest: The administration has now sprinkled in unrelated political references, with nods to the "Bill Clinton Scandal" involving his relationship with Monica Lewinsky that dominated news headlines in 1998.
- Another post features a photo of Obama wearing a white turban and robe during a 2006 visit to Kenya, which it baselessly claims is a "Muslim Brotherhood Visit," claiming Trump's predecessor in 2012 was hosting a group that "promotes Islamist extremism and has ties to Hamas."
- The photograph began circulating during Obama's first presidential campaign amid false claims that the Christian leader is a Muslim — something Trump has previously speculated about.
Zoom in: Several entries target Biden. The former president is pictured in 2023 and 2024 for "Trans Day of Visibility," with a note that he established the day on Easter Sunday in 2024.
- Another entry speculates, without evidence, that his son Hunter Biden may have been responsible for a bag containing cocaine found in the West Wing lobby in 2023.
Flashback: White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at the time that the cocaine was found in a "heavily traveled area" where many visitors pass through.
- A Secret Service investigation concluded without finding the source due to a lack of evidence and FBI deputy director Dan Bongino said in May that the Bureau was stepping up efforts to investigate the case.
For the record: News of the timeline emerged on Thursday. The entry was not available as of Oct. 7, which is the last available archive date from the White House.
Zoom out: Many presidents have made changes to the White House over the years, but preservation groups are concerned about the historical landmark maintaining its original structure, given the scale of Trump's remodeling plans.
- Trump and mega-donors are funding the rebuild, causing some to question the ethics behind possibly rewarding his political supporters.
- Representatives for the White House, Biden, Obama and Clinton did not immediately respond to Axios' Thursday evening request for comment.
Go deeper: Most Americans disapprove of Trump's East Wing demolition, poll shows
