Trump, 79, Transfixed by White House Pillar for Six Minutes
The momentary spell the columns seemed to hold over the president raised questions about whether further changes to the White House are in the works.
President Donald Trump appeared absorbed by the White House’s columns on Monday, lingering for several minutes and running his hands along the stonework.
The row of columns framing the White House’s entrance seemed to arrest the 79-year-old president’s attention as he returned from Arlington National Cemetery after delivering a boastful Memorial Day speech.
Trump, who turns 80 in June, appeared momentarily captivated by the White House’s columns on Monday.
Nathan Howard/REUTERS
Trump stepped out of the presidential limo and appeared headed for the White House entrance when he pointed to the base of one of the columns, according to a video posted by NewsNation’s Kellie Meyer.
He walked over and appeared to discuss the structure with his aides.
Trump appeared to have an issue with the column, which he discussed with aides.
Nathan Howard/REUTERS
A separate video posted by Meyer shows the president tracing the bottom of the column with his hands as he appeared to study its details. According to White House press pool reports, Trump spent six minutes outside the entrance before walking inside.
The Trump-appointed chair of a federal arts commission has proposed replacing the Ionic columns with Corinthian columns, a more luxurious style preferred by Trump.
Nathan Howard/REUTERS
It’s unclear why the president, who tore down the White House East Wing as part of his tacky White House makeover, was inspecting the columns. But a plan to remake the columns has been floated in Trumpworld.
Corinthian columns, seen here on the Supreme Court building, are considered the most prestigious in classical architecture.
Joshua Roberts/REUTERS
Rodney Mims Cook Jr., the Trump appointee who chairs the Commission of Fine Arts, a federal arts commission, proposed replacing the Ionic columns with Corinthian columns, a more luxurious style preferred by Trump, The Washington Post first reported in March.
The Corinthian style, widely regarded as the most decorative form of classical columns, is featured on the U.S. Capitol and Supreme Court, as well as on Trump’s planned White House ballroom.
The White House, completed in 1830, features simpler Ionic columns.
Jonathan Ernst/REUTERS
“Corinthian is the highest order [of column], and that’s what our other two branches of government have,” Cook told the Post. “Why the White House didn’t originally use them, at least on the north front, which is considered the front door, is beyond me.”
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But Bruce Redman Becker, a Biden appointee to the Commission of Fine Arts who was removed by Trump last year, said it was a “completely inappropriate idea and at odds with universally held historic preservation standards.”
Trump's planned $400 million White House ballroom will reportedly feature dozens of Corinthian columns.
Kevin Lamarque/REUTERS
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump, who likes to claim “Nobody can build like me,” has already transformed the White House grounds into a construction site.
In addition to his $400 million White House ballroom project, the commander-in-chief paved over the historic Rose Garden last summer. The new Mar-a-Lago-style patio was on display during an Easter event, albeit with patches of fake grass rolled out to enliven the cement floor.
He has also revamped the West Wing Colonnade, adding a “Presidential Walk of Fame” to the walkway, redecorated the Oval Office to feature significantly more gold, and renovated the Lincoln Bathroom to be made entirely of marble.
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