The demolition of the White House's East Wing, a metaphor for Trump's first year in office

"Everything in the White House must have a reason for being there, the charismatic First Lady once said. Six decades later, and just days before the first anniversary of his election victory coming up next Wednesday the current occupant, Donald Trump, has made it his main priority, in the words of his press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, to remodel the residence and shape the White House in his own image, turning it into a reflection of his government's politics."

"Having learned from his first term (20172021), during which he believes his advisers prevented him from doing what he truly wanted, Trump now appears determined to leave a lasting mark on the political system, and even physically. Backed by a team wholly loyal to him, and with every lever of power under his control a Republican majority in Congress and a Supreme Court dominated by conservative justices he is pushing the boundaries of authority."

"Trump regards his arguments as irrefutable, even if to others they may sound highly debatable. In Trump's view, there is no need for lengthy consultations or approvals whether it's ordering extrajudicial killings of suspected drug traffickers in the Pacific or the Caribbean, or turning the once-modest Lincoln Bedroom bathroom into a marble showcase. His majority, he believes, is all the authorization he needs: after all, didn't Americans elect him to get things done?"

The White House embodies American struggles and aspirations. Jacqueline Kennedy transformed 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue into a living museum and insisted that every object in the house have a reason for being there. Donald Trump has made remodeling the residence a top priority, aiming to shape the White House in his own image and reflect his government's politics. Having learned from his first term, he is determined to leave a lasting political and physical mark. Backed by a loyal team and a Republican congressional majority plus a conservative-dominated Supreme Court, he is pushing the boundaries of presidential authority without lengthy consultations.

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