OAN Staff Blake Wolf
4:20 PM – Wednesday, October 22, 2025
Conservative lawmakers and commentators pushed back on Hillary Clinton’s criticism of President Donald Trump’s plan to build a ballroom at the White House, citing her past controversy over furnishings, silverware, and other gifts the Clintons took with them when they left the White House in 2001.
On Tuesday, Clinton issued a social media post criticizing the Trump administration’s construction projects at the White House, writing: “It’s not his house. It’s your house. And he’s destroying it.”
President Trump announced Monday that construction has begun on the White House’s new grand ballroom, a project that is privately funded and will not use taxpayer money.
“I am pleased to announce that ground has been broken on the White House grounds to build a new, big, beautiful White House Ballroom,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “Completely separate from the White House itself, the East Wing is being fully modernized as part of this process, and will be more beautiful than ever when it is complete!”
Advertisement
One GOP politician, Texas Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), notably slammed Clinton following her criticism of Trump’s ballroom installation in a Tuesday X post, writing: “At least he didn’t steal the silverware.”
Cruz’s post was in reference to a controversy dating back to 2001, when then-President Bill Clinton and then-First Lady Hillary were leaving the White House.
When the Clintons left the White House in 2001, they reported “taking” about $190,000 in gifts, including furniture, silverware, and other household items. Donors later said those items were intended for the White House, not the Clintons personally. After questions were raised, the Clintons eventually returned about $28,000 worth of gifts and paid about $86,000 for others.
“All of these items were considered gifts to us,” Hillary claimed at the time. “That’s what the permanent record of the White House showed …. But if there is a different intent, we will certainly honor the intention of the donor.”
Additionally, Clinton received backlash from Fox News host Sean Hannity, in which he highlighted “Bill’s little incident with that White House intern.”
“Hillary, spare us the lectures on the sanctity of the White House, and maybe next time you might want to think before you go to X,” he stated, referencing former President Bill Clinton’s affair with then-White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
“Hi Hillary, remind us, wasn’t it you who walked off with $28,000 in White House furniture when you moved out?” added conservative commentator Benny Johnson. “And your husband who defiled the Oval Office during his presidency? President Trump’s funding a beautiful new ballroom out of his own pocket.”
While addressing concerns about the ballroom’s construction, White House spokesperson Davis Ingle emphasized that “President Trump is working 24/7 to Make America Great Again, including his historic beautification of the White House, at no taxpayer expense.”
“These long-needed upgrades will benefit generations of future presidents and American visitors to the People’s House,” he added.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news alerts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
What do YOU think? Click here to jump to the comments!Sponsored Content Below