US President Donald Trump unveiled the renovation of the Lincoln Bedroom bathroom as he continues his White House renovation.
Trump shared photos of the new bathroom on social media, saying it was “renovated in the 1940s with green Art Deco tiles that were completely inappropriate for the Lincoln era.”
He stated that the new black and white marble is “very appropriate to Abraham Lincoln's time and, in fact, may be the marble that was there originally!”
This is the latest change Trump has made to the White House this year. In October, its east wing was demolished to make way for its new multimillion-dollar ballroom.
The bathroom is part of Abraham Lincoln's study and study, which former President Harry Truman renovated as part of a major White House renovation in the late 1940s.
According to the White House Historical Association, the wallpaper in Lincoln's study and bedroom was once painted green and gold.
Following Trump's renovation, it now features gold fixtures and accents for the sink, bathtub faucet and shower door, as well as a chandelier.
The White House said the renovation was privately funded and at no cost to taxpayers.
The US president's efforts to put his stamp on the White House have drawn criticism from environmental groups and his political opponents.
Trump previously said that adding a ballroom to the East Wing “would not interfere with the current building.” But in October he said the “existing structure” needed to be demolished.
Trump said the ballroom's construction was funded entirely by him and “some of my donor friends.”
Conservationists say Trump should have sought public review before making changes they say would undermine the White House's classic style.
The White House responded to its critics by saying the “frustrated left” was “clutching its pearls over President Donald Trump's visionary addition of a large, privately funded ballroom to the White House – a bold and necessary addition.”
Other changes at the White House include his decision in August to pave the grass in the Rose Garden with stone, turning the lawn into a patio.
Trump also added gold-plated touches throughout the Oval Office, including additional gold-framed portraits, gold-framed mirrors and gold leaf for the presidential seal on the office ceiling.
In response to his latest bathroom renovation, Democrats accused Trump of being more focused on rebuilding the White House than addressing the government shutdown.
Central to the lockdown, which is now in its second month, is the debate over whether health insurance subsidies should be extended.
“Donald Trump actually cares more about his toilet than your healthcare,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote in a social media post.
Speaking at an event on Saturday, former US President Barack Obama said Trump was “focused on critical issues like paving the Rose Garden so people don't get their shoes dirty, gilding the Oval Office and building a $300 million ballroom” rather than addressing the closure.
“If you can't see a doctor, don't worry. It will save you from dancing,” he added.
