White House makeover under Trump: See all the proposed changes
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President Trump's White House renovations are reshaping the historic building and its surroundings in massive ways.
Why it matters: Major changes to the White House are rare and often controversial. They could potentially leave a lasting mark on the property for decades or longer.
- Outside the architectural changes, Trump has also given parts of the White House a Mar-a-Lago-style makeover — including filling the Oval Office with gold accents.
- "These long-needed upgrades will benefit generations of future presidents and American visitors to the People's House," White House spokesman Davis Ingle tells Axios.
Here's a quick rundown of what's been shared on Trump's White House makeover.
Changes outside the White House
Proposed ballroom: Trump demolished the East Wing last year to construct a new ballroom. Plans for the new ballroom show it will be two stories tall and be the same height as the White House residence.
Rose Garden: The Rose Garden was paved over by the Trump administration, which then installed statues of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.
- Trump also added white tables and yellow-striped umbrellas previously seen at Mar-a-Lago last year.
Presidential "walk of fame": A new White House display unveiled by Trump in November features photos of past presidents — along with pointed commentary taking shots at Biden and Obama.
Flag poles: The Trump administration added two new flagpoles on the White House grounds last June — one on the south side, another on the north. The poles, which were personally funded by Trump, measure roughly 100 feet high and are covered with American flags.
Portico columns: The Washington Post reported over the weekend that a Trump ally has floated replacing the White House's Ionic columns with Corinthian-style columns — a design seen at some Trump properties.
- A White House official told Axios there are no plans to change the columns at the White House or the North Portico, adding that the idea surfaced at a National Capital Planning Commission meeting but does not reflect President Trump's views.
Changes inside the White House
Zoom out: Trump has been remodeling many other parts of the White House — gilding the Oval Office, updating the Palm Room, renovating the bathroom for the Lincoln bathroom, hanging art and mirrors, and more, Axios' Marc Caputo writes.
- The president also has models and dioramas built for other projects he's considered.
What we're watching: Changes beyond the White House.
- Trump has also proposed the "Arc de Trump," changes to the Trump Kennedy Center and a National Garden of American Heroes near the National Mall.
Go deeper: Here's how the White House has changed over the decades
