We knew that Donald Trump and his administration would go out of their way to make sure that President Biden’s transition into the White House with his team was as painful and messy as possible. Hell, they fired all the butlers on their way out the door. And that’s not even mentioning the policy messes and overall disaster Trump left the White House and this country in when he left. But just when you think Trump couldn’t possibly get any more childish and pathetic, a new report drops.
A report from CNN tells of yet another mess left behind by the Trump administration for the incoming Biden team — an absolute disaster on the White House South Lawn.
Apparently, the White House was in desperate need of a future security apparatus update. At first glance, this doesn’t sound like all that big a deal. That is until you realize that these upgrades would require deep and extensive digging from the upper main driveway to the lower, a line of “fire” that will pass directly through those acres of beautiful, pristine grass in the South Lawn.
It was undoubtedly going to be a big, inconvenient job, requiring a variety of workers and machinery and a ton of inconvenient closures and re-routes — all of which was expected to last several weeks, maybe more.
Stay up-to-date with the latest news!
Subscribe and start recieving our daily emails.
A plan was put together for the multi-million dollar renovations to the security system by the United States Secret Service, the National Park Service, and the White House. The plan would allow the overhaul to take place in several stages, in an effort to cut down on the disturbances of daily life in the White House, sources claimed. According to the report, only one step remained in the process — the Trump White House’s chief usher, Timothy Harleth, just needed to explain the whole process to Donald and Melania and then give the signal to the Secret Service and National Park Service that things were a “go.”
But it seems the Trumps just weren’t interested. Apparently, they (namely former First Lady Melania Trump) weren’t interested in the noise and disturbances that would come with the project, even with the spaced-out plan to cut down on the inconveniences of it all and they didn’t want the South Lawn to be looking a mess during their time there, where they would likely hold events. So, in true Trump fashion, it seems the former First Family decided to just “pass it to the next guy” — who turned out to be Joe Biden.
CNN reports that the project has now been underway for several weeks, under the Biden administration and is shaping up as “one of the largest in scope and scale at the White House in several years,” encompassing not just the South Lawn, to just right outside the South entrance to the White House itself.
Biden has been forced to meet Marine One on the Ellipse, which requires a couple-minute motorcade to get him where he needs to be to board the helicopter, rather than being able to step right outside his back door.
One Secret Service agent with direct knowledge of the situation and the changes that had to be made to circumvent the mess said, “It’s been a headache.”
I would go on a little rant here about how appalling Trump’s level of immaturity is in this situation. But, honestly, I’m at a point now where it doesn’t even surprise me.
You can read CNN’s full report, including a history on similar projects at the White House under various administrations here.
Featured image via Flickr/Gage Skidmore, under Creative Commons license 2.0
