PoliticsDonald Trump Says White House Was a 'Dump' Before He Returned While Defending Sweeping Renovation Projects: 'Past Presidents Did Not Take Care of It'
Donald Trump defended his White House renovations after describing the building as being in 'very bad condition' before his return to office.
Sept. 14 2026, Published 5:09 p.m. ET
President Donald Trump publicly labeled the White House a "dump" on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, September 13, to defend his administration's multi-million-dollar renovations.
In his late-night post, Trump wrote, "The White House was in very bad condition, both inside and out. Frankly, it was a 'dump!' Past Presidents did not take care of it.”
He asserted that his extensive and often criticized "MAGA renovations" were necessary to save the historic structure from falling into ruins.
Donald Trump Said He Has a 'Construction Job' Fixing Washington, D.C.
Donald Trump previously denied reports that he called the White House a 'real dump' during his first term.
“More time without renovation would have destroyed our beloved White House,” he added, alleging that he oversees the projects “during my spare time, which is not much.”
“I have two jobs. I have a construction job, which is really like relaxation for me because I have been doing this all my life,” he said in December comments about his proposed Kennedy Center renovations.
When reports first surfaced in August 2017 in Sports Illustrated and Golf Magazine claiming he told members at his Bedminster golf club that the White House was a "real dump," Trump vehemently denied it.
Donald Trump's Renovations Face Backlash
A poll found that 65 percent of Americans were dissatisfied or upset with Trump's White House ballroom, Reflecting Pool and triumphal arch projects.
At that time, he lashed out at the media, calling the reporting "fake news" and asserting that the White House was "one of the most beautiful buildings" he had ever seen.
Trump's recent comments on Truth Social openly embrace the "dump" descriptor to justify the extensive remodeling undertaken during his time in office.
Public opinion data confirms that Trump's Washington, D.C., makeover projects are widely unpopular.
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White House Ballroom Draws Criticism
Donald Trump's proposed 90,000-square-foot White House ballroom has drawn significant public criticism as construction moves forward.
A Washington Post-Ipsos poll revealed that 65 percent of Americans view the D.C. renovation projects negatively, with nearly 40 percent reporting they are explicitly "upset" by them.
Only 31 percent of respondents, his hardcore base, expressed positive feelings about the sweeping changes.
The most contentious project is a massive 90,000-square-foot ballroom that required demolishing the historic East Wing.
Donald Trump's D.C. Projects Face Opposition
Donald Trump's proposed ballroom, triumphal arch and Reflecting Pool renovation have each drawn public or legal opposition.
National polling consistently shows that over 60 percent of Americans oppose the project, calling it "tacky" and viewing it as a vanity endeavor.
While the administration initially claimed the ballroom would be funded entirely by private tech and crypto donors, updated records show the price tag has ballooned to over $900 million, with Trump asking Congress to have taxpayers shoulder most of the costs.
Other projects have also drawn ire. A planned 250-foot triumphal arch near the National Mall is opposed by 52 percent of Americans, and efforts to alter the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to an "American flag blue" triggered lawsuits from conservation groups.
