Donald Trump shows no sign of slowing his assaults on the press corps; in fact, he may be only warming up.
A sweeping ban blocked CNN, MS Now, and Politico from White House access for a full week before a federal judge ordered the reinstatement of reporter passes earlier this month.
What the president seems to be considering next could permanently recalibrate his stance toward the media.
It’s the kind of move that forges a lasting legacy, a pursuit the 80-year-old has been zealously chasing.
Trump’s second term has come to symbolize retaliation, restoration, and renovation.
He pursues political adversaries and advances his grand redesign of Washington, D.C., by pledging improvements to landmarks.
His concept spawned the gold-accented Oval Office redecoration, as well as the demolition of the East Wing and the work-in-progress ballroom rising in its place.
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If that seemingly veiled “announcement” carries any weight, the politician may be pursuing another White House alteration and a permanent means to push the press aside.
On Sept. 27, he posted side-by-side images on Truth Social: one showing the current media conference room labeled “Fake News Before” and a white room with arched windows and doorways trimmed in gold, housing an indoor pool.
He titled the latter “FDR Pool After.”
It remains unclear whether Trump intends to bring construction crews into the executive mansion or is merely taunting his detractors.
Independent reporter Aaron Parnas reshared the post on IG Threads. He wrote, “Trump suggests tearing down the press room at the White House to rebuild the FDR pool instead. The press room currently sits on top of the pool.”
The current press room was built in 1970. The space was originally a pool installed to aid President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s polio rehabilitation.
The natatorium remains beneath the floorboards now covered by blue carpet and chairs for reporters and photojournalists.
A reaction to the post read, “He wants to tear down the press room out of spite, because he isn’t allowed to ban news reporters he doesn’t like…..tantrum.”
Another viewer stated, “HE NEEDS TO F—G STOP THIS S—T BECAUSE IT’S NOT HIS F—G HOUSE, IT’S OUR HOUSE.”
Then the discussion veered into banter about the renovation missteps that Trump hasn’t managed to get right.
A critic wondered, “Shouldn’t Trump finish repairing the Reflecting Pool he screwed up first before making another mess?”
“He’s not so good at pools as we’ve discovered,” a heckler taunted.
The Abraham Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was resealed this spring and briefly reopened.
However, an algae overgrowth turned the water green, and shortly afterward the sealant began peeling in large chunks due to mistakes the contractor has acknowledged.
Trump tried to blame the $16 million debacle on vandals, even going so far as to ordering the Department of Justice to pursue cases against multiple people.
The landmark has been drained and fenced off from visitors since July for repairs that have not begun.
“Now his new pet project. To redo the WH pool which sits under the WH press offices. A pool that hasn’t been used in 56 years!! Built by FDR for Water Polo,” one commenter added, piling on Trump’s press pool.
An echoing sentiment shared by many read, “Typical – cause a problem, destroy it and then abandon.”
Trump is also entangled in a court fight over the Kennedy Center’s closure.
He hijacked the center, briefly added his name to it, and then warned that it faced imminent bankruptcy if the courts do not approve his two-year renovation plan and his demand to be permanently honored on the campus.
The living memorial honors former Democratic President John F. Kennedy. It had been open for 55 years before Trump’s maneuvering harmed its ticket sales and visitation.
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