The White House will resume public tours just in time for the holidays in December after they were halted for Donald Trump’s East Wing demolition.
First Lady Melania’s office announced the tours would resume on December 2 to give guest the “opportunity to experience the history and beauty of the People’s House.”
However, they will be doing so through an “updated route” after the East Wing was reduced this month to rubble.
The return of holiday tours come as First Lady Melania is famously known for her dislike of Christmas decorations.
The first lady was secretly recorded in 2018 complaining about working her “a** off on the Christmas stuff.” The audio was later handed over to CNN in October 2020 right before the election.
“Who gives a f*** about Christmas stuff and decorations?” the first lady could be heard venting. “But I need to do it, right?”
According to Friday’s announcement, December tours will feature the White House Christmas decorations on the State Floor, and all the decorations will be designed and curated by the first lady.
“Visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy the beloved annual tradition that transforms the White House into a festive reflection of the spirit, warmth, faith, and hope of the holiday season,” it read.
One holiday favorite that will be noticeably absent will be the decorations in the East Colonnade, which was also a victim of Trump’s demolition.
The return of tours comes after public visits were halted and the White House Visitor Center was closed ahead of construction.
In the past, holiday visitors to the White House gathered to see the Christmas decorations in the East Wing and then traveled down the East Colonnade, which was done up for the holidays.
The first lady’s office made no further references to the demolition, aside from noting the “updated route.”
Her office said congressional offices may resume submitting tour requests for constituents starting in early November.
It is not clear whether the tours will resume temporarily for annual holiday decorations or will continue past January of next year.
It mentioned tours will also be available in January 2026, but did not provide details beyond that. The Daily Beast contacted the first lady’s office for clarification.
This summer, before the White House teardown began, the first lady’s office said the traditional holiday decorations would continue this December.
The president’s total demolition of the East Wing has sparked widespread outrage and shock nationwide.
The president tore down the entire section of the White House that once housed the first lady’s office and military office to make way for a 90,000 square foot ballroom.
The president had previously said that the construction would not interfere with the White House, but demolition crews destroyed the East Wing, leaving behind a heap of rubble.
The construction also trampled the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden located south of the East Terrace Colonnade.
Historians said the flattening of the East Wing, which was first constructed in 1902 and renovated in 1942, destroyed pieces of history. Preservation groups have raised concerns about the lack of oversight for Trump’s project.
The president’s ballroom is expected to cost as much as $350 million after the plans unveiled over the summer estimated it would be $200 million.
Trump also said at first he would pay for it, but he has since opened the project up to donors.
Democratic lawmakers have sounded the alarms over transparency as it remains unclear how contributions were solicited and what donors were promised in return.
