Was the teardown of the "old" East Wing at issue? Could Trump be compelled to rebuild it as it was, with his own money? I've heard that the contractor who did the teardown could be held liable, and they of course could sue Trump.
I know while president there’s little to be done, but when this is over Trump’s &his family’s assets need to be frozen. Including Jared’s. I hope there will be legal arrangements for those funds to accessed for reparations. Everything Trump has stolen, or destroyed, or any physical harm caused can request funds. Repair of his atrocious redecoration.
I wonder if this warped, ignorant man decided he should have a bunker because he heard Hitler had one. This nitwit thinks there’s comfortable survival of nuclear war, climate change or a pandemic.
Does he know what happened in Hitler’s bunker? Does he realize the bunker was no real protection?
The Supreme Court has exempted Trump from criminal prosecution for (broadly defined) official acts, but he can be sued in civil court. His corruption has brought him well over $1 billion in 1 ½ years but it is all subject to legal claims.
This man who clearly has dementia, has looted the treasury, seems likely to have raped/trafficked children is still being protected by the Republican party&John Robert’s corrupt court? I hope someday…
It would be hard, if not impossible, to make a credible case that tearing down part of the White House for no good reason is part of any president's 'official acts.'
trump should be compelled to pay for all the damages he as inflicted during his "stay" at the White House. That includes removing the ugly concrete patio he installed and replacing the Rose Garden. He won't be volunteering to pay for these reparations, so the funds he has stolen, and those he has gotten by violating the emoluments clause, must be frozen and used to accomplish this.
Illegal Demolition of Historic Landmarks: If a property is a registered historic landmark and is razed without the proper permits or board approval, the owner can be ordered to build an exact replica.
The Largent House (San Francisco): In a landmark ruling, the San Francisco Planning Commission ordered a developer to reconstruct a 1936 home designed by Richard Neutra after it was illegally demolished. The order required using the original footprint, materials, and methods.
East Nashville Historic Building: A property owner was ordered to rebuild a 100-year-old historic structure within 180 days after it was demolished without a permit.
Unlawful Evictions and Demolitions: Courts may order rebuilding if a property was destroyed without a valid court order or as part of an unlawful eviction process.
Thank Professor; I was not expecting the opinion at 12 minutes before midnight.
And, spot-on Daniel Solomon as the 1936 Largent House reconstruction is directly on point. The successful National Trust plaintiff may need to get a Special Master appointed as there is nothing but a large hole in the ground with some wreckage strewn about.
That is 1 of the reason why I call the named defendant, DJT, "Wreck".
I hope there was adequate quality control on these rebuilds. It’s hard (and very expensive) to rebuild a historic structure authentically and functionally.
I had read, long before trump's demolition of the East Wing, that the building itself was in need of significant upgrades, and that the offices were cramped and difficult to work in. Trump took that concern to its most illogical conclusion.
I expect that the building was audited by GSA, like every other government property. Where I was we had a budget and purchase of every pencil had to be justified.
I have the same question. And I do believe he should have to rebuild it out of his “billions”. Definitely hold the contractor liable as well! I wonder how many “illegals” as he would put it were on the demotion crew! ICE should have been looking there! Disgusting!
Although, I had read former president administrations' staff comments that the East Wing was in need of an upgrade, as the offices were cramped and outdated. So rebuild "not as it was" but also NOT as trumpStalin envisions.
Now that the construction has at least been delayed, I urge you to go to the National Trust's website for their description of the dreadful plans for the ballroom and read all the blunders that it proposes. Among them are putting the kitchen above level and providing so much space for the diners that it's difficult to serve. Then there are the Corinthian columns that clash with the simpler Ionic ones on the main residence and the windows with no view and the cut into the circular drive laid out in the original plan. Armed with this information, I was happy to write a letter in opposition to the design, and even happier to know that some 35,000 other people did, too! Shame on the enablers who pledged donations to build this atrocity!
Well, he wants to replace the Ionic pillars with Corinthian pillars on the front of the White House too - they’ll be all matchy-matchy with the ballroom! (What an excrescence that might be!)
Please! :-) I joined the National Trust for Historic Preservation as soon as I heard they were filing suit over what I now call the "Balls-room". Way to go NTHP!
Sounds like a plan for many of to join The National Trust for Historic Preservation. It would be great if 2026 was a banner year for their membership. Great idea Fran 👏👍
It’s great that Judge Leon has stopped Trump from starting construction on his gaudy ballroom, at least until a final ruling takes place. My concern is that Trump will continue to do whatever he wants, and by the time his unlawful acts work their way through the courts, so much damage can already be done. Who will hold him accountable?
I sure hope the judge rules that Trump has to pay to have the East wing restored completely and exactly as it was prior to his order to have it demolished.
TRUMP GIVES THE FINGER TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IN HIS ENVISIONED SOARING PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY IN DOWNTOWN MIAMI
In his ostentatious self-glorifying towering monument to himself, America’s most reprehensible President intends to bequeath to the American people this soaring monument to his megalomania, emblazoned with his name on top, which will no doubt be in bright lights.
As reported by CNN, “[I]n the nearly two-minute-long video shared by the president on Truth Social, a skyscraper dominates the Miami skyline with the Trump name prominently displayed near the top of the structure. Visitors are depicted entering the building through a golden arch adorned with the presidential seal. Once inside, the imagined interiorfeatures exhibits replicating White House landscapes, iconography referencing Trump’s political career, and a host of aircraft on display” [which will include the grifted Air Force One that Trump induced Qatar to “donate” to his library.]
Needless to say, this self-glorification will be replete with exhibits displaying every gold plated fixture and ornament in his Oval Office and throughout the White House, in addition to his ornate and gaudy Mar-a-Lago estate. It is also expected that his purloined Nobel Peace Prize will be prominently displayed as if it were legitimately awarded to him by the Norwegian Nobel Committee rather than extorted from the true winner.
“Eric Trump, the president’s son and head of the library’s foundation, touted the renderings on X Monday night. ‘This landmark on the water in Miami, Florida will stand as a lasting testament to an amazing man, an amazing developer, and the greatest President our Nation has ever known.’”
It is expected that references to George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, FDR, and all other such light-weights will be minimized, if mentioned at all.
As CNN continued to report: “References to key moments in Trump’s political ascendance also appear in the video. Visitors are pictured riding a golden escalator, much like the one Trump glided down when he announced his first presidential campaign. And inside a massive auditorium, a towering golden statue of the president with his first raised is seen on stage, mimicking his reaction following the July 2024 attempt on his life in Butler, Pennsylvania.”
It is expected that many tapes of Trump’s pronouncements will be included, though perhaps not the “Access Hollywood” tape on which he is heard bragging:” It’s like a magnet…I don’t even wait. When you’re a star, they’ll let you do it. You can do anything. Grab them by the pussy. You can do anything.” or his comment that “I run the country and the world.”
In addition, it is expected that clips from Trump’s soap opera “The Apprentice” will be displayed as educational tutorials to enable viewers to learn how he implemented the principles in his ghost-written book, “The Art of the Deal”. Alongside these clips will be analogous showings from episodes of “The Three Stooges” to better place Trump’s oratory in context.
“‘The Trump Presidential Library will be one of the most magnificent buildings in the world and a living testament to the indelible impact President Trump has made on America and its people,’ White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said in a statement.”
No monument of any kind would be needed to remember what Donald Trump has done to our country, and the world.
May it be the only building felled in a historic hurricane that spares the good people of Miami while dragging this epic monstrosity down to the depths to feed Leviathan.
We all owe some thanks to the National Trust! I looked into them some months ago and signed up for their email notifications which are really interesting. I recommend that others check them out - an impressive organization.
This is such a great ruling! It is OUR house! "Please!" Thanks for translating it all into plain English, Joyce, and I love the protest photo. Can the judge make T move out of the White House until the entire place is repaired and restored (including removing all the ugly gold decorations) or until his term ends, whichever comes first. OK, I know, I know. But I can dream.
I’m glad construction has been halted, but as usual, felon/pedo47 has created an enormous mess that we, the people, will have to clean up. He is only about destruction and devastation. On many levels. He has no idea how to create. I blame every single ignorant and racist American who cast their vote for him. It didn’t have to be like this.
Wonderful persuasive analysis. This move by Donald Trump warrants building up the same forceful resistance that the oppressed citizenry executed in the French Revolution. Marche on .....!!!
“Because Congress holds the keys to the Nation's property, the President must have some statutory basis to build the ballroom,” except in cases where congress has reliquished it's statutory authority to a convicted criminal who rules over, not governs, the federal apparatus belonging to the United States of America.
Damn straight it’s our house. And given the ramblings above it does seem that the judge has hit a nerve, they probably had to once again lock up the ketchup bottles. This ruling is a bright spot, thank you for the unpacking of it this evening.
When we rebuild, after the defeat of this Hate Regime, and not just the White House but the country, we will be smarter because he has tried to break every single thing. Laws, rules, decorum. He's tested all the weak links. They will be stronger this next time.
Perhaps Trump can rent the local YMCA to do his patented version of The Twist … or, judging by the language of his screed, the hokey-pokey.
Or the Two-Fisted Camel Jerk
I thought it was the giraffe jerk?
A jerk by another name is still “a jerk”!
I think it's the Golden Bullshit.
Was the teardown of the "old" East Wing at issue? Could Trump be compelled to rebuild it as it was, with his own money? I've heard that the contractor who did the teardown could be held liable, and they of course could sue Trump.
I know while president there’s little to be done, but when this is over Trump’s &his family’s assets need to be frozen. Including Jared’s. I hope there will be legal arrangements for those funds to accessed for reparations. Everything Trump has stolen, or destroyed, or any physical harm caused can request funds. Repair of his atrocious redecoration.
I wonder if this warped, ignorant man decided he should have a bunker because he heard Hitler had one. This nitwit thinks there’s comfortable survival of nuclear war, climate change or a pandemic.
Does he know what happened in Hitler’s bunker? Does he realize the bunker was no real protection?
The Supreme Court has exempted Trump from criminal prosecution for (broadly defined) official acts, but he can be sued in civil court. His corruption has brought him well over $1 billion in 1 ½ years but it is all subject to legal claims.
I believe you. Trump has lost in court, some.
This man who clearly has dementia, has looted the treasury, seems likely to have raped/trafficked children is still being protected by the Republican party&John Robert’s corrupt court? I hope someday…
I hold SCOTUS for creating this tyrant in his first term. Now they can't seem to correct their huge error.
nor do they want to...they are part of project 2025
the New America court will have to do it
It would be hard, if not impossible, to make a credible case that tearing down part of the White House for no good reason is part of any president's 'official acts.'
He has zero knowledge of real history. He creates his own version and he will never spend one day of accountability. That is beyond comprehension.
I hope you're wrong about never spending one day of accountability, but my husband says the same thing. Grrrr!!!
Maybe trump wants to trump Marie Antoinette's "Let them eat cake" with "Let's bulldoze and dance". All of this id the definition of Dark Humor.
Shhh, don't tell him
trump should be compelled to pay for all the damages he as inflicted during his "stay" at the White House. That includes removing the ugly concrete patio he installed and replacing the Rose Garden. He won't be volunteering to pay for these reparations, so the funds he has stolen, and those he has gotten by violating the emoluments clause, must be frozen and used to accomplish this.
He's made billions this year alone so that shouldn't be a problem.
If. Only.
That would be so gratifying!
Yes, please. Sue the last penny out of the pompous SOB.
That happened in my community!
I'd love to hear the details.
Illegal Demolition of Historic Landmarks: If a property is a registered historic landmark and is razed without the proper permits or board approval, the owner can be ordered to build an exact replica.
The Largent House (San Francisco): In a landmark ruling, the San Francisco Planning Commission ordered a developer to reconstruct a 1936 home designed by Richard Neutra after it was illegally demolished. The order required using the original footprint, materials, and methods.
East Nashville Historic Building: A property owner was ordered to rebuild a 100-year-old historic structure within 180 days after it was demolished without a permit.
Unlawful Evictions and Demolitions: Courts may order rebuilding if a property was destroyed without a valid court order or as part of an unlawful eviction process.
Thank Professor; I was not expecting the opinion at 12 minutes before midnight.
And, spot-on Daniel Solomon as the 1936 Largent House reconstruction is directly on point. The successful National Trust plaintiff may need to get a Special Master appointed as there is nothing but a large hole in the ground with some wreckage strewn about.
That is 1 of the reason why I call the named defendant, DJT, "Wreck".
I hope there was adequate quality control on these rebuilds. It’s hard (and very expensive) to rebuild a historic structure authentically and functionally.
Trump has plenty.
I had read, long before trump's demolition of the East Wing, that the building itself was in need of significant upgrades, and that the offices were cramped and difficult to work in. Trump took that concern to its most illogical conclusion.
I expect that the building was audited by GSA, like every other government property. Where I was we had a budget and purchase of every pencil had to be justified.
Architecture Specialty Group - American Institute for Conservation
.https://www.culturalheritage.org/groups/architecture-group#:~:text=We%20maintain%20the%20Architectural%20Conservation,welcome%20edits%20and%20new%20content..
I have the same question. And I do believe he should have to rebuild it out of his “billions”. Definitely hold the contractor liable as well! I wonder how many “illegals” as he would put it were on the demotion crew! ICE should have been looking there! Disgusting!
ha ha ha ha
this about suing trump
That would be great!!
Although, I had read former president administrations' staff comments that the East Wing was in need of an upgrade, as the offices were cramped and outdated. So rebuild "not as it was" but also NOT as trumpStalin envisions.
Now that the construction has at least been delayed, I urge you to go to the National Trust's website for their description of the dreadful plans for the ballroom and read all the blunders that it proposes. Among them are putting the kitchen above level and providing so much space for the diners that it's difficult to serve. Then there are the Corinthian columns that clash with the simpler Ionic ones on the main residence and the windows with no view and the cut into the circular drive laid out in the original plan. Armed with this information, I was happy to write a letter in opposition to the design, and even happier to know that some 35,000 other people did, too! Shame on the enablers who pledged donations to build this atrocity!
Well, he wants to replace the Ionic pillars with Corinthian pillars on the front of the White House too - they’ll be all matchy-matchy with the ballroom! (What an excrescence that might be!)
And how does that serve "We the people" who can't afford basics?
A starting point on the National Trust's website:
https://savingplaces.org/search?q=white+house
Glad to read that!
(Donations are blackmail.)
ballroom...good place to hold the trials then tear it down
Here is something imminent we need to know ...:
From JIM PATTIZ AND MORE THAN JUST PARKS
APR 01, 2026
BREAKING: Trump Administration Orders Dismantling of the U.S. Forest Service
The headquarters is going to Utah. Every regional office is being shuttered. The research program is being destroyed.
https://morethanjustparks.substack.com/p/breaking-trump-administration-orders
So this new and hollowed out Forest Service is going to be run like FEMA? Holy crap! It will be tragically predictable.
Lumber companies buy and axe U.S. Forest Service.
Oh God please not. Maybe a golf resort grrrrr! We love the parks. What a wonderful gift to our nation.
Like the 1800's again.
Note the date - April 1...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2026/03/31/forest-service-headquarters-move-utah-trump/
Please! :-) I joined the National Trust for Historic Preservation as soon as I heard they were filing suit over what I now call the "Balls-room". Way to go NTHP!
Sounds like a plan for many of to join The National Trust for Historic Preservation. It would be great if 2026 was a banner year for their membership. Great idea Fran 👏👍
Wow!! The Ballsroom. You nailed it abd now that will be my name of reference. Thumbs up ,Fran !!
It’s great that Judge Leon has stopped Trump from starting construction on his gaudy ballroom, at least until a final ruling takes place. My concern is that Trump will continue to do whatever he wants, and by the time his unlawful acts work their way through the courts, so much damage can already be done. Who will hold him accountable?
The remedy is a Judge Leon
Orrer to Show Cause (OSC) on Defendant, DJT
I sure hope the judge rules that Trump has to pay to have the East wing restored completely and exactly as it was prior to his order to have it demolished.
TRUMP GIVES THE FINGER TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IN HIS ENVISIONED SOARING PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY IN DOWNTOWN MIAMI
In his ostentatious self-glorifying towering monument to himself, America’s most reprehensible President intends to bequeath to the American people this soaring monument to his megalomania, emblazoned with his name on top, which will no doubt be in bright lights.
As reported by CNN, “[I]n the nearly two-minute-long video shared by the president on Truth Social, a skyscraper dominates the Miami skyline with the Trump name prominently displayed near the top of the structure. Visitors are depicted entering the building through a golden arch adorned with the presidential seal. Once inside, the imagined interiorfeatures exhibits replicating White House landscapes, iconography referencing Trump’s political career, and a host of aircraft on display” [which will include the grifted Air Force One that Trump induced Qatar to “donate” to his library.]
Needless to say, this self-glorification will be replete with exhibits displaying every gold plated fixture and ornament in his Oval Office and throughout the White House, in addition to his ornate and gaudy Mar-a-Lago estate. It is also expected that his purloined Nobel Peace Prize will be prominently displayed as if it were legitimately awarded to him by the Norwegian Nobel Committee rather than extorted from the true winner.
“Eric Trump, the president’s son and head of the library’s foundation, touted the renderings on X Monday night. ‘This landmark on the water in Miami, Florida will stand as a lasting testament to an amazing man, an amazing developer, and the greatest President our Nation has ever known.’”
It is expected that references to George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, FDR, and all other such light-weights will be minimized, if mentioned at all.
As CNN continued to report: “References to key moments in Trump’s political ascendance also appear in the video. Visitors are pictured riding a golden escalator, much like the one Trump glided down when he announced his first presidential campaign. And inside a massive auditorium, a towering golden statue of the president with his first raised is seen on stage, mimicking his reaction following the July 2024 attempt on his life in Butler, Pennsylvania.”
It is expected that many tapes of Trump’s pronouncements will be included, though perhaps not the “Access Hollywood” tape on which he is heard bragging:” It’s like a magnet…I don’t even wait. When you’re a star, they’ll let you do it. You can do anything. Grab them by the pussy. You can do anything.” or his comment that “I run the country and the world.”
In addition, it is expected that clips from Trump’s soap opera “The Apprentice” will be displayed as educational tutorials to enable viewers to learn how he implemented the principles in his ghost-written book, “The Art of the Deal”. Alongside these clips will be analogous showings from episodes of “The Three Stooges” to better place Trump’s oratory in context.
“‘The Trump Presidential Library will be one of the most magnificent buildings in the world and a living testament to the indelible impact President Trump has made on America and its people,’ White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said in a statement.”
No monument of any kind would be needed to remember what Donald Trump has done to our country, and the world.
[This is not a parody. To those who may feel that this story is so outlandish or grotesque, I am furnishing the following link to the CNN news report, which I enhanced with some easily recognizable sarcastic comments: https://www.aol.com/articles/trump-shares-renderings-towering-presidential-033413052.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com]
Evern Florida doesn't deserve to have this built there. That's how bad this is: I'm having sympathy for Floridians.
May it be the only building felled in a historic hurricane that spares the good people of Miami while dragging this epic monstrosity down to the depths to feed Leviathan.
What a truly astonishing ego! 🤢🤮
Trump and library do not belong in the same sentence.
Right. It implies that he knows how to read.
We all owe some thanks to the National Trust! I looked into them some months ago and signed up for their email notifications which are really interesting. I recommend that others check them out - an impressive organization.
This is such a great ruling! It is OUR house! "Please!" Thanks for translating it all into plain English, Joyce, and I love the protest photo. Can the judge make T move out of the White House until the entire place is repaired and restored (including removing all the ugly gold decorations) or until his term ends, whichever comes first. OK, I know, I know. But I can dream.
I’m glad construction has been halted, but as usual, felon/pedo47 has created an enormous mess that we, the people, will have to clean up. He is only about destruction and devastation. On many levels. He has no idea how to create. I blame every single ignorant and racist American who cast their vote for him. It didn’t have to be like this.
I blame the OIL thieves who convinced the vulnerable to vote for their greedy puppet.
“Stop the ship now” Josephine Guilbeau argues that the US Tomahawk that killed 163 girls on Feb 28 had visual access to see the school murals.
https://substack.com/@brianresists/note/c-233904344?r=kxzps&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
Thank you for your post!!
I watched this 4 times this morning. The pain doesn't lessen.
Wonderful persuasive analysis. This move by Donald Trump warrants building up the same forceful resistance that the oppressed citizenry executed in the French Revolution. Marche on .....!!!
“Because Congress holds the keys to the Nation's property, the President must have some statutory basis to build the ballroom,” except in cases where congress has reliquished it's statutory authority to a convicted criminal who rules over, not governs, the federal apparatus belonging to the United States of America.
Damn straight it’s our house. And given the ramblings above it does seem that the judge has hit a nerve, they probably had to once again lock up the ketchup bottles. This ruling is a bright spot, thank you for the unpacking of it this evening.
When we rebuild, after the defeat of this Hate Regime, and not just the White House but the country, we will be smarter because he has tried to break every single thing. Laws, rules, decorum. He's tested all the weak links. They will be stronger this next time.
💔📎