Overview
- At a State Department dinner for Kennedy Center honorees, President Trump said replacing Truman-era green tile in the Lincoln Bathroom with marble preserves national heritage.
- Trump characterized the previous design as a cheap Art Deco job from the Truman years and said the new look is more fitting for Abraham Lincoln’s time.
- Photos he shared in October show an all-marble scheme with gold fixtures, a silver chandelier, and a robe bearing the presidential seal.
- Historians and designers reject the authenticity claim, with former White House Historical Association chief historian Edward Lengel saying it does not resemble 1860s interiors.
- Coverage places the bathroom overhaul alongside broader changes, including the criticized East Wing demolition to clear space for a privately funded $250 million ballroom that critics say lacked explicit planning approval.