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Michelle Obama isn’t mincing words when it comes to President Donald Trump’s decision to demolish the White House’s East Wing, which has long served as the working space for First Ladies.
Speaking with podcaster Jamie Kern Lima on Tuesday (November 25), Obama said she sees the destruction as a “loss for us as a nation,” noting that the move symbolizes a troubling shift in national values.
“I think in my body, I felt confusion, because I’m like, who are we? What do we value? And who decides that?” she said. “Who are we? What are the rules? Because I’m confused by… what are our norms and our mores? Not the laws, but how do we live together? That’s the part of it that hurts.”
The former First Lady added that she mourns the demolition “mostly for America because… that’s not our house. That’s the people’s house.”
Obama’s comments come after Trump began tearing down the East Wing last month to make way for a new ballroom.
“The Look” author emphasized the East Wing’s historical and personal significance during an interview with Stephen Colbert earlier this month.
“The East Wing was where you felt light,” Obama said, comparing it to the more work-focused West Wing. “That’s where children came. We had puppies.”
During an appearance at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Obama suggested the demolition reflects Trump’s views on the importance of the First Lady’s office.
“When we talk about the East Wing, it is the heart of the work,” she said. “And to denigrate it, to tear it down, to pretend like it doesn’t matter — it’s a reflection of how you think of that role.”
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