“I renovated the Lincoln Bathroom in the White House. It was renovated in the 1940s in an Art Deco green tile style, which was totally inappropriate for the Lincoln Era. I did it in black and white polished Statuary marble. This was very appropriate for the time of Abraham Lincoln and, in fact, could be the marble that was originally there!” Trump wrote on Truth Social, sharing the pictures of the bathroom before and after the renovation.
From the pictures, the bathroom interior looks extravagant with gold-toned fixtures, including faucets, sconces and the trash bin, along with a crystal hanging chandelier.
Trump had reportedly revealed his intentions in July this year to renovate the bathroom in a manner that better represents Lincoln’s time. Later on Friday, he also shared an update on the under-renovation Kennedy Centre, where he appointed himself as the chair after reportedly dismissing several board members.
Donald Trump drew sharp criticism after posting the pictures of the luxurious White House bathroom at a time when the US economy is facing uncertainty amid the US government shutdown, which has been continuing for a month. Taking a dig at Trump, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, said that the President cared more about a toilet than the people of the country. “Donald Trump actually cares more about his toilet than he does about fixing your healthcare,” Schumer said on X on Friday. “Millions of people are being kicked off of food assistance and millions can’t afford health care anymore. But don’t worry everyone! Trump got a new bathroom. So tone deaf, out of touch, and disgusting,” said Democratic Commentator Harry Sisson on X.
The US government shutdown and its impact
The US government shutdown began on 1st October, following a budget stalemate between Republican and Democratic lawmakers in Congress. The Congress lawmakers failed to agree on passing a bill funding government services after the previous budget expired on 1st October. A government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to pass a budget bill relating to the funding of the government agencies. In such a situation, government employees are sent on unpaid leave until a consensus is reached in Congress. This may bring several, if not all, government services to a halt.
The current disagreement arose between Republicans and Democrats after the latter proposed to extend expiring tax credits that make health insurance cheaper for a large number of Americans. The Trump administration had introduced certain cuts to the government healthcare programme, Medicaid, which is used by millions of US citizens, including the elderly, disabled and low-income people.
The shutdown resulted in several government services being temporarily suspended and over a million federal employees taking unpaid leave or working without pay. While the essential government services remain unaffected by the shutdown, many other government services are experiencing a shortage of fund. For example, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which helps low-income families buy groceries and food essentials, has run out of funds. Similarly, the WIC nutritional program for mothers and young children is also expected to face a shortage of money soon. Air travel services across the US have also been severely hit by the shutdown, as flights are facing frequent delays due to the unavailability of Air Traffic Controllers.
The US economy is experiencing an overall impact of the government shutdown. According to the estimates released by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) this week, the shutdown could cost the U.S. economy between $7 billion and $14 billion. The damage will multiply as the shutdown drags on for a longer duration, with losses reaching $11 billion after six weeks, and $14 billion if it stretches to eight weeks. This comes on top of inflation and rising prices of goods as a result of extremely high US trade tariffs. The economic slowdown triggered by the government shutdown, coupled with inflation, has strained the ultimate consumer, leading to frustration among the general public.
