Why is 'Truman' trending? Supporters point out that Trump is not the first president to make renovations to the White House
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WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 20: Workers demolish the facade of the East Wing of the White House on October 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. The demolition is part of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to build a ballroom reportedly costing $250 million on the eastern side of the White House. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)Donald Trump has decided to renovate the White House and demolish the East Wing to build his ballroom. This decision has received mixed reactions on social media. While some netizens were clearly unhappy with the step, others defended the US president. Many pointed out that Trump was not the first president to renovate the White House.
This prompted people to make references to 33rd US President Harry Truman, a Democrat. Netizens decided to share photos allegedly of the renovations that Truman executed when he became the president in April 1945. According to netizens, Truman did some massive renovations to the building that were far bigger than what Trump has ordered.
Such tweets have flooded X, formerly known as Twitter. Apart from Harry Truman, Trump supporters have also mentioned William Howard Taft, Barack Obama, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Richard Nixon. One user wrote on X,
"Harry Truman added a bowling alley to the White House. Nixon rebuilt it. FDR put in a swimming pool."
"Here we see Truman's effort to make the White House better by completely ripping apart the inside, down to nothing but air," added a tweet.
"When President Truman tore apart the White House in 1950, they gave the public 'souvenirs' of the old building," wrote a netizen.
Similar comments can be found all over the social media platform. One tweeted,
"Wait till you see what Truman did to the White House."
"In 1950, Harry Truman gutted the White House to the supporting outer walls and rebuilt the place," read a tweet.
The White House had actually undergone a series of renovations even before Trump executed the current one
As mentioned by several netizens, the BBC too reported that a number of renovations have happened in the White House in the past. Some of them were some serious and massive ones. From an indoor pool to a basketball court, it has been quite common for presidents to renovate the building. One of the most major remodelings was reportedly done by Theodore Roosevelt in 1902.
According to the BBC reports, Roosevelt replaced Victorian-era conservatories with the current West Wing. His decision received strong criticism at the time, particularly due to the high expenses. Then in 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt decided to build an indoor swimming pool within the White House. As per the White House Historical Association, the pool has since been covered.
In 1952, Harry Truman ordered massive renovations that also included building a balcony and a bowling alley. According to reports, when Truman became the president, the White House needed some immediate repairs. In 1961, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy ordered renovating the interiors of the White House.
In 2009, Barack Obama decided to transform a tennis court so that it could be used to play both tennis and basketball. On Tuesday, Donald Trump spoke to the senators from his Republican Party at the White House and said,
"You probably hear the beautiful sound of construction in the back... When I hear that sound, it reminds me of money."
Along with netizens, several political figures like Gavin Newsom and Hillary Clinton have also criticized the ongoing renovation.
TOPICS: White House , Truman, Trump