The East Wing was built in 1948. Trump was born in 1946. He can’t regard it as a historical place because that would mean he’s old. He also didn’t build it so he inherently doesn’t respect it and probably thinks it’s tacky. He definitely feels he can and will do better. Trump calculus says it has to go. Washington oversaw the first one being built, which didn’t have the balconies and porticoes. Adams changed it as soon as he moved in. It was burned down in 1814 except for the stone walls making up the original residence. They rebuilt it and almost every president since has changed or added something. It’s not some sacred historical site. It was created specifically to serve as the private residence for the President. It wasn’t created as a museum or monument to one period of time.

It was inevitable that Trump did this. Nobody should be surprised. It’s not even a violation of decorum other than he’s doing it in an unceremonious way. He’s a real estate developer. He’s going to develop his real estate. It’s sad that they threw FDR/Truman’s doorknobs in the trash. It’s nice to keep old stuff around because there isn’t much of it left. Anything valuable will have gone to a donor in a nice farm upstate, I’m sure. These are the same people that were carrying out lamps and crates of curios when Trump left in 2021.

Don’t worry libs, there are still plenty of places on the grounds where Presidents pooped while carrying out racial exterminations. Trump will keep the old slave quarters intact.