Hillary Clinton Slams Trump’s White House Gold Decor

Hillary Clinton Criticizes Trump’s White House Decor

Hillary Clinton, former Secretary of State and former first lady, criticized the changes Donald Trump has made to the White House, with a particular focus on the use of gold embellishments throughout parts of the building.

During an interview with journalist Kara Swisher on the “Pivot” podcast, published on August 7, 2026, Clinton said the White House’s new look had become excessive. She compared the gold decorations to the palaces of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, some of which she said she had visited while serving as a U.S. senator.

Clinton said the changes saddened her and criticized what she described as an effort to add more gold rather than focus on other issues.

Gold in the Oval Office Draws Clinton’s Criticism

Clinton pointed to the gold embellishments on the walls of the Oval Office and linked the changes to what she saw as a need to feel important.

According to her comments in the interview, Clinton said the use of gold reflected, in her view, Trump’s narcissistic personality and his desire to appear important.

She said, “Where can I add more gold?” as part of her criticism of Trump’s thinking, in the context of other issues facing his administration.

Regarding the comparison to Saddam Hussein’s palaces, she added: “It’s just insane.”

Trump’s New White House Ballroom Project

Clinton’s criticism was not limited to the interior decorations. She also criticized Trump’s proposed new White House ballroom.

According to the available information, the proposed ballroom would cover about 90,000 square feet. The project is intended to provide a larger space for official dinners and other events at the White House.

Clinton criticized the design of the project, describing the addition as unattractive. She also raised the question of what could be done if the project were left unfinished, asking: “What do you do with an unfinished ballroom?”

Clinton had previously criticized the project in a social media post, saying: “It’s not his house. It’s your house. And he’s ruining it.”

The Debate Over the Ballroom’s Cost and Funding

The ballroom project has also drawn controversy over its cost and funding. Figures reported by American sources differ. Some reports estimated the cost at about $300 million, while others put it at approximately $400 million.

In June 2026, The Washington Post reported that Trump was using a $500 million no-bid contract to build the ballroom.

The available information indicates that these figures may represent different stages, estimates, or scopes of the project. Therefore, they should not be treated as identical figures or as direct replacements for one another.

As for funding, Trump’s team has said the project would be funded by private donors rather than taxpayer money. However, American reports have raised questions about the funding agreement, its transparency, and related legal issues.

The Project Faces Legal Questions

In addition to the political and architectural debate, the ballroom project has faced legal questions over the president’s authority to make major changes to the White House complex without explicit congressional approval.

On August 7, 2026, The New York Times reported that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the project could not continue without explicit approval from Congress. The ruling left the project’s future subject to possible Supreme Court review.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts unanimously approved the ballroom’s design in February 2026, according to The Washington Post.

The project has therefore become controversial on several fronts, from its design and size to its cost and funding, as well as the legal authority required to move forward with it.

What Has Changed Inside the White House?

Changes described in American reports include gold embellishments in the Oval Office, gold accents in the Cabinet Room, and gold frames around photographs of former presidents in the West Wing corridors.

Reports also indicated that a photograph of Hillary Clinton was replaced with an image of Trump.

The changes come as Trump works to reshape several spaces inside the White House, while the ballroom project has sparked a broader debate over the limits of how much the historic building can be altered.

The White House Response to Clinton’s Comments

The available information indicates that the White House responded to Clinton’s criticism by referring to her defeat by Trump in the 2016 presidential election.

However, the identity of the White House spokesperson, identified in the available information as “Davis Engel,” was not independently confirmed by the American sources used here. The exact wording of the response was also not independently confirmed.

Therefore, this part should be treated as unconfirmed unless it is supported by an official White House statement or a report from a reliable American news organization clearly attributing the comments.

Written by Shindy
Researcher and observer of U.S. news since 2011