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Botany

(78,472 posts)
Mon Jul 6, 2026, 10:40 AM Jul 6

Scaffolding Remains at White House As Trump Posts Photo of Ornate Columns [View all]

Source: Newsweek

Scaffolding has appeared around several columns on the White House's North Portico, prompting a fresh wave of speculation about whether President Donald Trump could be preparing another change to the executive mansion as his administration continues an extensive makeover of both the White House complex and wider Washington, D.C. landmarks.

Images shared on social media over the July 4 weekend showed workers standing on scaffolding erected around the White House's iconic white columns. One widely circulated post claimed Trump was planning to replace the columns entirely, fueling renewed debate over the future appearance of one of the nation's most recognizable buildings.

Snip

Questions about the columns have been circulating for months following comments from Rodney Mims Cook Jr., chairman of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, who suggested replacing the North Portico's existing Ionic columns with more ornate Corinthian columns.

"Corinthian is the highest order [of column], and that's what our other two branches of government have," Cook told The Washington 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."

The proposal immediately drew criticism from architects and historic preservation advocates, who argued that altering the column style would fundamentally change the building's appearance and historic character.









Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/scaffolding-remains-white-house-trump-posts-photo-ornate-columns-12160151



Call your Senators and Congress Critters the White House is not Trump’s property and he has to
stop fucking it up.
19 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Another waste of taxpayer money. Ritabert Jul 6 #1
The old columns are just fine. Botany Jul 6 #2
They're trying to see how fast they can bankrupt the country completely, all at Putin's demand! slightlv Jul 6 #12
Doric is OK for me. gab13by13 Jul 6 #3
This EuterpeThelo Jul 6 #4
And to know he only got to be President because of massive cheating is galling. Botany Jul 6 #6
Trump will demand that the load-bearing columns be replaced, not individually, but all at once. LudwigPastorius Jul 6 #5
Trump is a cancer on America Botany Jul 6 #8
Oh--and they must be solid gold. Bayard Jul 6 #16
As I have baeen saying since about 2018... 2naSalit Jul 6 #7
"highest order" of columns? maxsolomon Jul 6 #9
Click on the link to the article and scroll down Botany Jul 6 #10
Welp, it could just be maintenance. maxsolomon Jul 6 #11
Watch the whole front entrance and part of the attached structure collapse like the stage at his 250th fair ChicagoTeamster Jul 6 #13
Prepping for that giant "gold" eagle attached to the columns. The Madcap Jul 6 #14
Once these projects start crumbling purr-rat beauty Jul 6 #15
The White House is not an ornate palace. It is a place where the people's business is conducted Fla Dem Jul 6 #17
And we know that he'll f**k it up! Just look at the Reflecting Pool and the East Wing! Rhiannon12866 Jul 7 #18
Corinthian columns would look ridiculous on the WH GenThePerservering Wednesday #19
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