Outrage over a ballroom? Bill Clinton scandal and Cocaine Discovery added to the White House major events timeline

You've seen plenty of coverage criticizing the White House for demolishing the East Wing to build a $350 million ballroom. Critics have framed this action as the historical erasure of the "people's house," calling it something akin to "slashing a Rembrandt painting", in the words of Presidential historian Douglas Brinkley.

The opposition's rhetoric has been severe. CT Senator Chris Murphy (D) declared on MSNBC, “there’s a lot of history that has taken place in the East Wing, ....It is just a symbol about how cavalier he (Trump) is about every single day acting in new and illegal ways." Meanwhile, CT Senator Blumenthal (D), asked for documentation from the private corporations who donated to the ballroom project, saying, "It puts a 'For Sale' sign on the White House."

What you probably did not see was President Trump's reaction to this outrage now codified in the "Major Events Timeline on the White House website here. The official history begins as expected with 1791-1800 when John Adams moved in, to 1814-1824 when it is rebuilt after the War of 1812, and so on. In 1998, the narrative abruptly changes tone. It highlights the Bill Clinton scandal with Monica Lewinsky. Then the controversial 2012 Obama meeting with the Muslim Brotherhood - an organization labeled as a terrorist group.

And the pattern continues featuring the cocaine discovered hidden in the West Wing in 2023, a security breach tied directly to the First Family. Finally, in 2023-2024, it flags the vulgar Trans Day of Visibility hosted at the White House under President Biden.

Between the Lines: The critics crying "historical erasure" over a needed construction project, conveniently ignore some of the truly historical stains revealed in the timeline—moments that compromised the very dignity and security of the People's House. Now we can move on and stop the pearl clutching over the ballroom.

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