How did presidents change the White House?

Crews are Demolishing the eastern wing from the White House to make way for construction of the $300 million, 90,000-square-foot President Trump Hall, despite protests from historic preservation groups and a lack of federal approval.

The Trump administration rejected the widespread criticism "Artificial anger" in Fact sheet Released Tuesday, which outlines the various renovations presidents have made to the property over the past century, suggests this renovation is no different.

"Unhinged leftists and their fake news allies are clutching their pearls over President Donald J. Trump’s wise addition of a large, privately funded ballroom to the White House — a bold, necessary addition that reflects the long history of improvements and additions from leaders in chief to maintain the executive residence as a beacon of American excellence." The White House said.

The White House has undergone renovations both large and small since its construction in 1792. But this will be the largest addition — in scope and size — since the 1940s, says Priya Jain, chair of the Society of Architectural Historians’ Historic Preservation Committee. He told NPR.

"And in the list that was released yesterday, if you look at it closely, all the changes after 1942 were limited to the interior," Jane said. "Those on the outside either involved minor restoration or simple additions to the site such as the tennis court and pavilion, which are too limited in scope, size and visibility to have any negative impact on the historic building."

Here’s a look at how presidents change the White House.

18th and 19th centuries: The White House was built and rebuilt

The cornerstone of the White House was laid in the newly designated nation’s capital on October 1792a year after President George Washington personally selected the site.

The neoclassical building was designed by Irish-born architect James Hoban and built by a team of They enslaved and freed black Americans and European immigrants over a period of eight years.

President John Adams and his wife Abigail were the first to occupy the residence that was It is still incomplete By the time they moved in near the end of his term in November 1800. President Thomas Jefferson moved in the following year and continued to decorate the White House. "President’s house" with Furnishings he inherited Of all the presidents who came before him.

But almost all of it was lost in 1814, when British forces They set fire to the building During the War of 1812. President James Madison and First Lady Dolley Madison both He fled Washington, D.C., to safetyThe latter managed to do so Bring a full-size photo of former President George Washington With her. They both returned to temporary housing to finish their presidency.

Hoban oversaw the rebuilding of the White House. Its second incarnation, much like the first, was officially reopened with the arrival of President James Monroe in 1817.

Monroe later commissioned Hoban with the building’s first major addition, The southern hallway The famous circular entrance lined with Ionic columns was completed in 1824 North Portico It was completed in 1830 under President Andrew Jackson.

Early 20th century: Construction and expansion of the West Wing

The next big changes occurred under President Theodore Roosevelt.

In 1901, He renamed it the "The white house" In all formal communications, making it The title has been around for a long time official. (It was originally called "President’s house" or "Executive Mansion"but most people began referring to it by coloring the limestone white in the early 1800s.)

In 1902, Roosevelt began a major renovation of the physical building that housed… "It transformed it from a crazy quilt of modifications over time into a cohesive statement for the modern era," The late author and historian William Seale wrote.

The biggest change was moving his office from the second floor to the West Wing, which was originally called the Executive Office Building. The separate single-storey building is accessed by a corridor and houses the offices of presidential staff and secretaries as well as a Cabinet meeting room.

The project expanded the first family’s living quarters (necessary, as the Roosevelts had six young children) and modernized the building’s heating and plumbing systems. It also created the East Terrace, a new entrance for guests that later became the East Wing.

Subsequent presidents continued to build on Roosevelt’s renovations.

President William Taft redesigned and expanded the West Wing in 1909 to create the Oval Office. President Calvin Coolidge The roof was rebuilt A third floor was added in 1927 after an engineering report showed that the roof supports were weak and unsafe.

the The west wing has been remodeled After the fire of 1929 and more Expanded in 1934When President Franklin Delano Roosevelt moved the Oval Office to its current location for more privacy, he built more underground offices and installed Indoor swimming pool To treat him from polio (funded by private donations).

Mid-20th century: Controversial additions and major renovation

FDR also created the East Wing in 1942 primarily for cover Underground bunker And to house more employees and offices during the war.

According to White House Historical AssociationThe wartime construction of the East Wing was highly controversial. Republicans criticized it as extravagance and accused Roosevelt of it "Using the project to boost the image of his presidency."

"The secret nature of the construction, linked to military purposes, increased suspicions." wrote association president Stuart McLaurin. "However, the East Wing’s utility in supporting the modern presidency eventually mollified critics."

The next major renovation, and perhaps the largest, occurred under President Harry Truman in the late 1940s.

In response to structural deficiencies, its architects decided to demolish the entire interior, leaving only the exterior walls intact, between 1948 and 1952. The project cost the equivalent of $60 million. Funded and authorized by Congress — and has been subject to intense scrutiny from conservationists and the public.

One of the most controversial changes was the addition of a balcony to the second floor of the South Portico. While some architectural purists and Truman’s congressional opponents opposed it on aesthetic and financial grounds, the Truman Balcony became a distinctive feature for both first-family entertaining and official events at the White House (Think: Easter egg roll).

"The Truman Balcony was something truly controversial at the time, and is now one of the most beloved parts of the White House with the president and his family sitting outside and looking out onto the South Lawn." Kate Andersen Brewer, author of Residency: Inside the Private World of the White House, He told NPR‘s Here and now.

Truman Financed by Al-Shorfa himself using funds from the family account allocated to him. Trump Hall is the largest renovation since then, but it is different in key ways, Brewer said.

"Truman was not taking no for an answer, but he went through channels to get approval for this renewal. We don’t see President Trump doing the same thing." She added.

Late 20th century onwards: Presidents personalize causes

Recent decades have seen frequent but relatively minor changes to the foundations of the White House.

President John F. Kennedy Modern rose garden In 1963 – and remained relatively unchanged until last August, when Trump paved it It turned into a courtyard.

In the 1970s, President Richard Nixon Indoor pool conversion In the White House press room and installed A Single lane bowling alleywhile President Gerald Ford had a swimming pool (also privately financed) Built outdoors.

In the early 2000s, President George W. Bush updated Press briefing room and operating room and the first ever room was installed Solar electrical system On the grounds of the White House (President Jimmy Carter Solar heating panels were first installed on the roof of the White House in 1979, but were removed in the 1980s).

President Barack Obama Tennis court air conditioning So it can also be used in basketball, and First Lady Michelle Obama planted it White House Kitchen Garden On the south lawn.

Trump has already changed the reasons

Trump himself has made a slew of renovations since his second term began in January, and it’s not just the Rose Garden.

He also decorated Oval desk with gilded frames And golden details, added by A Presidential Walk of Fame To the walkway between the West Wing and the Executive Residences. It features photos of every former president except President Joe Biden. Instead of a headshot, Biden’s frame contains a photo From the automatic penWhich Trump has repeatedly accused him of using (although the practice is not banned).

The White House says Trump continues "A proud presidential legacy" Make upgrades to the building, in this case increasing its capacity to host major functions. The East Room currently seats about 200 people for dinner, meaning that many of the White House’s largest events are hosted outside in luxury tents with floors and chandeliers.

Brewer, the author, says there is justification for expanding the White House’s entertainment space, with some caveats: "I don’t think it should be this size and scope, two big football fields and bigger than the White House itself."

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