All In with Chris Hayes New details emerge on Trump ballroom funding sources
23 snips
Oct 25, 2025 
Doug Brinkley, a presidential historian at Rice University, and journalist Amy Wallace discuss vital topics surrounding Trump's controversial ballroom project and its financial sources. Brinkley emphasizes the historical implications of the White House changes, while Wallace reveals emotional insights from Virginia Giuffre's posthumous memoir, detailing Epstein's abuses and Maxwell's role. They also explore the troubling financial ties influencing Trump's decisions and the broader impacts on survivors and society.
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Demolition As Symbolic Break
- Donald Trump's demolition of the East Wing signals a deliberate break with historical norms and preservation.
- Historians view the act as symbolic of Trumpism's wrecking-ball approach to institutions.
Personal Shock Over East Wing Loss
- Amy Wallace described feeling devastated when she learned the East Wing would not be saved.
- Douglas Brinkley recounted expecting dishonesty and called the move a wrecking-ball moment.
Opaque Funding And Scope Changes
- The project's budget and scope shifted publicly with little transparency, raising legal and ethical questions.
- Senators and watchdogs are demanding timelines and internal awareness of cost increases and demolition decisions.
