Break down of major White House renovations and their costs by president

[neurosis]

Thought this was interesting considering that it seems to be one of the stories dominating the news right now.




Here is a breakdown of major White House renovations and their costs by president:

• George Washington and John Adams (1792-1800): Original construction of the White House, costing about $232,371 (around $5-7 million today).
• James Madison and James Monroe (1815-1817): Reconstruction after War of 1812 burning, costing roughly $500,000 (around $11-13 million today).
• Chester A. Arthur (1881): Redecoration including furniture and Tiffany lighting costing $110,000 (approx. $3-4 million today).
• Theodore Roosevelt (1902): Renovation and expansion including creating the West Wing and East Wing entrance, costing $475,445 (about $18-22 million today).
• William Howard Taft (1909): Extended the West Wing and created the first Oval Office; cost not specified.
• Calvin Coolidge (1927): Renovated floors and staff quarters with steel trusses, costing $185,000 (approx. $3.5 million today).
• Herbert Hoover (1929-1930): West Wing remodeling, cost not specified.
• Franklin D. Roosevelt (1934, 1942): West Wing expansion and new East Wing with underground bunker, costs significant but unspecified.
• Harry Truman (1948-1952): Total interior reconstruction due to deterioration, costing $5.7 million (approx. $70-85 million today).
• Gerald Ford (1975): New outdoor swimming pool built, funding from private donations totaling $66,800 (approx. $404,000 today).
• George W. Bush (2007): Renovation of the press briefing room costing $8.5 million then (~$14-$18 million today).
• Donald Trump (2025 ongoing): New East Wing ballroom estimated over $250 million, funded privately.

These renovations reflect a pattern of evolving needs over more than two centuries, with Truman's mid-century reconstruction and Trump's current ballroom being among the most financially significant.�

[Jeff]

YouTube is paying for $22 million of that 

Meanwhile private donors are paying for the rest.

[Smit]

Private donors...

I'll bet Trump is going to be very generous in his "appreciation" for their donations. 

[Rstewart]

Very Fine People, I mean only the Best!

[neurosis]

Private donors...

I'll bet Trump is going to be very generous in his "appreciation" for their donations. 

Is it a coincidence that he originally said that the renovation was going to cost $260 million and that's close to the number ($230 million) he's asking for in his lawsuit against the DOJ?   

[Smit]

Is it a coincidence that he originally said that the renovation was going to cost $260 million and that's close to the number ($230 million) he's asking for in his lawsuit against the DOJ?   

That's a nice thought but if (when) he gets that money he's going to pocket it.

[gcode]

he gets that money he's going to pocket it.

and why wouldn't he
he's been fighting frivolous lawsuits and politically motivated prosecutions for more than a decade.
his legal bills have got to be huge

[Smit]

and why wouldn't he
he's been fighting frivolous lawsuits and politically motivated prosecutions for more than a decade.
his legal bills have got the be huge

It's an ethics thing you wouldn't understand.

[Jeff]

Dumbsmit logic = He might do this! He might do that!

[gcode]

It's an ethics thing you wouldn't understand.

I understand perfectly

[Bucky Cornstarch]

and why wouldn't he
he's been fighting frivolous lawsuits and politically motivated prosecutions for more than a decade.
his legal bills have got to be huge

1. He's been found guilty of felonies and liable in civil cases.

2. A good way to avoid this is to a: don't break the law and b: don't rip people off or fuck them over.

3. Smit is correct. You wouldn't don't understand.

[neurosis]

and why wouldn't he
he's been fighting frivolous lawsuits and politically motivated prosecutions for more than a decade.
his legal bills have got to be huge

Wasn't he using money donated to his campaign to help pay for his legal fees? His supporters already funded a good amount of his legal defense?

[mowens]

2. A good way to avoid this is to a: don't break the law and b: don't rip people off or fuck them over.

Hello, Mcfly, anybody home?

He's a politician. It's a given he's going to do that.

[neurosis]

One question I do have, and don't get me wrong, I wouldn't care if Trump tore the entire Whitehouse down and built a building in the shape of a gigantic penis right now because I feel like that's where we are as a Country, but is there a justification for this? Or is it just an "I'm going to have the biggest, best (nobody's built one bigger or better) building on the property" thing?

[Jeff]

but is there a justification for this?

If we the taxpayer were paying for this I would care.
As of now, hearing that we're not. I couldn't care less.