Former Obama White House chief photographer Pete Souza on Monday expressed his dismay at President Donald Trump’s decision to tear down the East Wing to make way for his $250 million ballroom.
Souza acknowledged an argument for building the ballroom but condemned the way Trump has gone about it. The president initially denied that any part of the White House would be physically affected by the project. Souza also suggested it didn’t need to seat 999 people or be gilded in gold.
“You don’t just tear down a building,” Souza said. “This is not his house. This house belongs to us. It’s the People’s House. And one man should not be able to just knock down a building for his vanity ballroom project. I just felt devastated that this is the way he went about doing it.”
Watch the interview here:
Souza, who frequently used his Obama-era photos to troll Trump during the president’s first term, has resumed the practice since Trump’s return to the Oval Office in January.
Forget BallroomsHelp Build aNewsroom
Your SupportFuelsOur Mission
Your SupportFuelsOur Mission
Become a HuffPost Member
When power gathers under golden ceilings, real journalism stands outside, asking the questions that matter. Join HuffPost Membership and keep independent reporting strong for everyone.
We remain committed to providing you with the unflinching, fact-based journalism everyone deserves.
Thank you again for your support along the way. We’re truly grateful for readers like you! Your initial support helped get us here and bolstered our newsroom, which kept us strong during uncertain times. Now as we continue, we need your help more than ever. We hope you will join us once again.
We remain committed to providing you with the unflinching, fact-based journalism everyone deserves.
Thank you again for your support along the way. We’re truly grateful for readers like you! Your initial support helped get us here and bolstered our newsroom, which kept us strong during uncertain times. Now as we continue, we need your help more than ever. We hope you will join us once again.
Already a member? Log in to hide these messages.
In recent days, he’s shared several of his old White House photos while blasting the ballroom project.
Souza called the demolition of the East Wing “a disgrace” in a throwback post featuring his photo of Obama and Bo. “The White House was once the People’s House. Now it belongs to a wannabe king,” he wrote.
“It’s a symbol of what his administration is doing to the country,” he added in another post. “Tearing it down.”