Trump’s White House overhaul fits a global trend among far-right populists | Jan-Werner Müller

The proposed demolition of the White House's East Wing symbolizes Trump's wanton destruction and disregard for rules. The project involves falsehoods, disregards preservation legislation, and promotes cronyism, fitting Trump's style of governance. The destruction impacts the historical significance of the space dedicated to first ladies. This act aligns with a global trend of far-right populist leaders using architecture to promote their political agendas. Trump's previous executive order favored "classicism" in federal architecture, intending to create an image of the US as pure and beautiful. This order was linked to the "1776 commission," aiming to whitewash US history. The intention behind both initiatives was to promote a specific image of the US. Biden rescinded the order, but Trump brought it back on his inauguration day. The controversial architectural changes mirror a wider strategy of using aesthetics to reinforce a particular vision of national identity.