Furious Trump denies claims he called the White House ‘a dump’
US President Donald Trump has denied that he called the White House a “dump”.
He responded on Twitter to an article posted on Tuesday on the website golf.com.
The story recounts a scene in which Mr Trump was chatting with some club members at his golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey.
The President reportedly told the members he visits the property so frequently because “that White House is a real dump”.
His presidential home boasts some 132 rooms including 16 family-guest rooms, as well as a main kitchen, diet kitchen and family kitchen which are serviced by five full-time chefs.
Across the six-floor home there are some 35 bathrooms, as well as a tennis court, a single-lane bowling alley, a movie theatre, jogging track, swimming pool and putting green.
Chelsea Clinton, who lived at the White House for eight years when her father Bill was President, appeared to hit back at the comments, tweeting: “Thank you to all the White House ushers, butlers, maids, chefs, florists, gardeners, plumbers, engineers & curators for all you do every day.”
However, Mr Trump has hit back, denying he made the re- mark. “I love the White House, one of the most beautiful buildings (homes) I have ever seen,” he tweeted.
“But Fake News said I called it a dump — TOTALLY UNTRUE.”
Trump has spent nearly every weekend of his presidency visiting various properties he owns and leases, including Bedminster.
He is expected to leave on Friday for his first extended holiday from Washington since the inauguration — a 17-day getaway to the Bedminster club.
Construction of the White House was completed in 1800 and it has been the home of US Presidents ever since.
It was reconstructed between 1949 and 1952 by President Truman, and substantially redecorated by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in the 1960s.
Comparatively, Mr Trump’s home, the 58-storey Trump Tower, was built in Manhatten in 1979 with the intention of being the borough’s “first super-luxury high-rise”.
Mr Trump’s wife Melania and their youngest son Barron (11) remained living on the penthouse floors for several months after he took up the office of the 45th US President in January 2017 and moved to the White House.
They joined Mr Trump in Washington DC in June.
Meanwhile, the Trump family’s other residences include properties at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, Seven Springs in Bedford, New York, and part of an estate in Charlottesville, Virginia.