Trump's Radical White House Makeover: 5 Shocking Changes You Won't Believe!

The recent uproar over former President Donald Trump’s proposal to demolish part of the White House to construct a lavish ballroom reflects a historical echo from the Civil War era. Current public opinion polls indicate that a majority of Americans oppose this plan, highlighting a nation once again deeply divided over issues of leadership and taste.

During the Civil War, the White House itself became a battleground of sorts, not only in a literal sense but as a symbol of the larger anxieties surrounding leadership and democracy. The First Lady, Mary Todd Lincoln, spearheaded a renovation project that drew sharp criticism. Unlike Trump, who has taken a hands-on approach to his proposed changes—including the selection of chandeliers—Abraham Lincoln distanced himself from the refurbishments carried out by his wife, expressing his distaste for the extravagance.

Mary Lincoln, hailing from a wealthy Kentucky family, had a flair for opulence. Upon moving into the executive mansion in 1861, she found it to be drab and dilapidated, often described in unflattering terms like “a decaying Southern manor” and “an old and unsuccessful hotel.” In her quest for refinement, she ordered crimson curtains and lavish furnishings, including a 190-piece purple porcelain dinner service and a costly Brussels carpet priced at $2,500—equivalent to roughly $90,000 today.

This lavish spending was not well received in wartime Washington, where many viewed it as an affront to the sacrifices being made by soldiers on battlefields. Southern newspapers seized on the opportunity to criticize Lincoln, with the Charleston Mercury accusing him of emulating “a despot” and mimicking “the palace of the French Emperor.” The Copperhead Democrats, a faction that opposed the war, also painted Lincoln as a would-be monarch while the nation suffered.

Lincoln himself was outraged when he learned that Mary had consumed the congressional allowance of $20,000 meant for four years’ worth of repairs in a matter of months. “It would stink in the nostrils of the American people,” he said, “to have it said that the President had approved a bill overrunning an appropriation of $20,000 for flub dubs for this damned old house, when soldiers cannot have blankets.” Raised in a humble log cabin, Lincoln believed in simplicity and austerity. His own office was modest, equipped with a battered desk and maps, lending an air of functionality rather than grandeur.

In stark contrast to Trump’s flair for the dramatic, Lincoln governed with humility and restraint. Although he did not shy away from taking strong actions—such as suspending habeas corpus—he maintained a character that emphasized democratic principles. His Cabinet was famously known as a “team of rivals,” and his most memorable speeches articulated themes of unity and compassion, encapsulated in phrases like “the better angels of our nature” and “malice toward none, charity for all.”

While Lincoln was a president deeply concerned with the state of the Republic, Trump’s vision often appears more self-centered, with a penchant for the spectacular. Lincoln warned of the dangers posed not by foreign adversaries but by internal threats: the potential rise of domestic strongmen akin to “an Alexander, a Caesar, or a Napoleon.” This cautionary perspective resonates powerfully today, as many draw parallels between Lincoln and Trump. However, the two men diverge significantly in temperament and their understanding of democratic governance.

Lincoln, who would not replace worn wallpaper while soldiers lacked basic necessities, would likely find the notion of demolishing a piece of the White House for a 90,000-square-foot ballroom utterly unthinkable. As the nation grapples with the implications of Trump's proposal, it’s essential to consider the historical precedents that inform our current moment. The White House, a symbol of American democracy, continues to evoke passions that reflect the evolving landscape of leadership and public sentiment.

David S. Reynolds is a distinguished professor at the City University of New York and author of “Abe: Abraham Lincoln in His Times.” His new book, “Two Ships: Jamestown 1619, Plymouth 1620, and the Struggle for the Soul of America,” will be released in June.