But whatever happens next, this is more than just an architectural exercise. Trump wants to add his own tacky aesthetic — an oversize ballroom, grand staircases that lead nowhere, ornamental windows with no purpose — to the building he reportedly described in his first term as “a real dump.” (Trump denied making the comment.)

Trump governs the way he approached real estate: loud, extravagant and self-important. But his imperial aesthetic is less Versailles and more Gawd-Awful: gold leaf everywhere, including the toilet, and chintzy reproductions of classic architecture.....

It fits a pattern. Trump’s Atlantic City casino empire once stood as a glittering monument to his brand. It was supposed to be unstoppable. Permanent. A symbol of wealth and dominance. Instead the Trump Plaza casino was demolished in 2021 in a controlled implosion watched by crowds cheering as the dust settled.

The lesson from Atlantic City is simple: Buildings built around one man’s ego do not age well.

The White House is not supposed to reflect the personality of whoever temporarily occupies it. It represents something much larger: a democratic system that outlasts any one president. When Trump treats it like the latest site for a gaudy renovation, he reveals what he has always revealed about himself.

Trump was never truly interested in the presidency as a responsibility. He was interested in it as another construction project in tribute to himself.