Hillary Clinton slams Trump's 'tackied up' White House — and the internet says she's not wrong
USA: Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has taken aim at President Donald Trump’s sweeping White House renovations in a podcast interview, comparing the gold-heavy decor to the palaces of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and describing the changes as a reflection of Trump’s “narcissistic personality,” according to CNN.
Speaking with host Kara Swisher on her “Pivot” podcast, Clinton said the Oval Office’s gold embellishments and broader White House overhaul were “reminiscent” of Hussein’s Iraqi palaces, and suggested Trump’s priorities were misplaced.
“This is a man who, his mind apparently goes to, ‘Where can I add more gold?’ instead of, ‘How do I get out of Iran without looking like the loser that I am?’” she said.
Clinton, who oversaw renovations to the White House Blue Room during her time as first lady, has been a consistent critic of Trump’s transformation of the complex since his return to the White House in 2025.
In Friday’s interview, she returned to the ballroom. “The next president is going to have a big decision. What do you do with a half-finished ballroom?” she said, describing it as a “carbuncle on the side of the White House.”
The White House response
White House spokesman Davis Ingle responded to Clinton’s comments by referencing her 2016 election loss, saying she had never had the opportunity to decorate the Oval Office as president “because she suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of President Trump, which she has never recovered from.”
Clinton, for her part, offered to help with the eventual cleanup, joking with Swisher that she would be willing to serve as “Secretary of Taking Down the Gold” after Trump leaves office. “Wouldn’t that be a good idea? Secretary of cleaning it up, fixing up?” she said.
Netizens react
The interview drew responses where even self-described non-fans of Clinton acknowledged the substance of her critique.
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“She’s spot on, as much as it hurts to say,” one commenter wrote.
Another was more direct in their assessment: “She’s always been right about Trump. And she was right about his supporters.”
One commenter offered a sardonic observation about the Saddam Hussein comparison landing differently than intended: “Yeah but he considers it a compliment. 1000% all he heard was palace.”
And one netizen kept it frank: “I’m not a fan of Hillary. But she’s not wrong here.”
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