Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley said Monday on Fox News that liberals no longer care about preserving America’s institutions or history, saying they value only power.
Demolition crews began tearing down part of the White House’s historic East Wing on Monday to make way for President Donald Trump’s new ballroom. Appearing on “The Ingraham Angle,” Hawley said Democrats’ outrage over the project and their purported support for American institutions points to something deeper.
“Let’s remember, these people burned whole cities to the ground, Laura, when they had a political disagreement with somebody else. These people don’t believe in institutions. They don’t believe in history,” Hawley told host Laura Ingraham. “All they believe in is power. In this case, they can’t stand that the people put Donald Trump in power, and now they’re just throwing a fit — like they are with the government shutdown and everything else.”
“It’s ridiculous, and Trump is doing the right thing,” he emphasized. “I can’t wait to see the ballroom finished.”
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Ingraham brought up past controversies involving former President Bill Clinton, asking whether Democrats truly respected the institutions they now claim to defend. (RELATED: Josh Hawley Explains What Pentagon Rebrand Is Really About And What Joe Biden Had To Do With It)
“Didn’t Clinton sell out the Lincoln bedroom and I remember all those stories what they did when they were there. I mean Bill Clinton treated it like … it was his bedroom, right?” Ingraham asked.
Hawley agreed, calling the Clintons’ conduct emblematic of liberal hypocrisy.
“Yeah, Bill Clinton did a lot of things in the White House. I tell you, among other things that they did, though, is they absolutely raised campaign money on it. They sold out the Lincoln Bedroom — pimped it out, you might say — to their donors and other people,” Hawley responded. “Nothing that the Clintons say is credible, and nothing that the Libs say is credible. You know, they’re talking about how we have to preserve this wonderful institution.”
No new wing has been added to the White House since the East Wing’s construction in 1942. Major renovations occurred between 1948 and 1952, when former President Harry S. Truman oversaw a full restoration of the executive mansion.
The White House said in July that work will soon start on a grand new state ballroom capable of accommodating 650 guests. Spanning 90,000 square feet, the project will more than triple the size of the current East Room — with completion planned well before the end of Trump’s second term.
In August, Trump issued an executive order directing federal agencies to prioritize traditional, classical designs in new government buildings. The directive instructs officials to reflect regional heritage and move away from the modernist styles that have dominated recent federal construction.
Trump in January introduced a memorandum titled “Promoting Beautiful Federal Civic Architecture,” urging that new federal buildings embody traditional and classical designs. The directive stated that such architecture should reflect civic pride, enhance public spaces, and honor America’s heritage and democratic ideals.
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