As bulldozers tear down the East Wing of the White House to make way for President Donald Trump’s multi-million dollar ballroom, one voice has been notably missing from the debate — that of first lady Melania Trump. The East Wing was once the headquarters of first ladies since the Carter era. The demolition has upended her office space and disrupted public tours, yet Melania has not publicly commented on the matter.Her office declined to respond when asked by CNN whether she supports the project, despite the outcry from former East Wing staffers of both parties. Crews began work this week on the president’s long-promised gilded ballroom, which critics, mostly Democratic, have called an unnecessary vanity project.Melania spends most of her time in New York and Palm Beach. She rarely visits Washington and keeps a small staff of just five full-time members. These aides have been temporarily relocated to rooms within the executive mansion.The White House has not confirmed whether the ballroom’s design will include permanent office space for the first lady. According to experts, the lack of communication shows her increasingly distant role during her husband’s second term.Kate Andersen Brower, author of First Women, which explores the influence of presidential spouses, said: “Watching the demolition is the physical embodiment of watching the first lady’s role become smaller and smaller. She’s making it clear that – like her husband – she’s not going to be like any other first lady. … She doesn’t care about historic precedent, either.”“Since Monday, I have heard from alumni of the East Wing from multiple administrations who are understandably stunned by the images,” said Anita McBride, former chief of staff to First Lady Laura Bush. “First ladies’ staff lived and witnessed history within those walls and nothing can take away the memories of working in that extraordinarily special place of purpose and service.”Observers have compared Melania’s silence to a neighbour ignoring the demolition of her own garage. “It would be like — you’re really close to your next door neighbour, but they decided to demolish your garage for a basketball court, and you didn’t really say anything about it,” said journalist Kate Bennett, author of Free, Melania.During her first term, Melania was an active steward of White House preservation, overseeing furniture restorations and the Rose Garden redesign. But this time, she has largely stepped back, leaving her husband to take charge of renovations. The East Wing has long been a symbol of the first lady’s influence. Built in 1902 and expanded in 1942, it became the official home of the Office of the first lady under Rosalynn Carter in 1977. For decades, it served as both a working space and the main entrance for state dinners and receptions.
