Trump Unveils Lincoln Bathroom, Faces Ballroom Backlash

President Donald Trump posted before-and-after photos on Truth Social unveiling a renovated Lincoln Bathroom at the White House, saying he replaced a 1940s art-deco green tile design with black-and-white polished Statuary marble, gold-plated fixtures and a chandelier. The glossy makeover echoes other recent Trump redesigns and accompanies the abrupt demolition of the East Wing to make way for a privately funded, 90,000-square-foot ballroom that sources estimate will cost roughly $250–300 million. Preservationists, Democrats and architectural groups have sharply criticized the changes as a "Mar-a-Lago-style" sheen and have faulted the demolition for proceeding without full review. Polls show a majority of Americans oppose the ballroom project. The White House has not disclosed the bathroom's cost or whether the renovation underwent formal design or approval processes. Historians and preservation groups have publicly questioned Trump's claim that the marble is appropriate to the Lincoln era, while Trump framed the projects as restoring historical elegance and said private donors would pay for the ballroom.