The Daily Wrap Up
23 October, 2025
[ Transcript edited for clarity and flow]
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Have you ever had one of those days when you think to yourself, damn it, I really need to upgrade my bunker? I think every day is a day like that for Donald. Why? Because he’s a coward. He’s a coward in every single way, but he’s especially a physical coward. Have you ever seen him have an altercation with an eagle? That didn’t go well for him. And remember that time Donald was on stage and some guy ran up? The entire secret service jumped on him and Donald cowered behind the lectern.
This is not a man who’s going to stand up and try to protect himself—he’ll always wait for other people to protect him. We also know that during the very peaceful protests in Lafayette Park in Washington DC—before all hell broke loose after he ordered the National Guard to start shooting rubber bullets and throwing tear gas canisters—Donald hid in the White House bunker. It was probably at that point that he looked around and thought, “There’s not enough gold in here.” Ever since then he’s likely been looking for an opportunity to upgrade.
You may not know this, because all anybody seems to be talking about is the destruction of the East Wing. That’s important, of course, especially in its symbolism. It’s yet another way in which Donald is taking a wrecking ball—in this case literally—to the United of America. There’s also been a lot of talk about the obscene, opulent, almost certainly to-be-gaudy ballroom that will be erected in place of the East Wing; a 90-thousand-square-foot monstrosity that will dwarf the rest of the White House. We were initially told that the project was going to cost $200 million, then $250 million; now it’s estimated to be $300 million. Donald has already told us he’s going to use some of the excess funds that have been raised from corporations like Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta (you get the idea) to build a triumphal arch in his own honor.
But I’m guessing that some of that money is going to be used for something else, because what is underneath what used to be the East Wing of the White House is the bunker, the place where cowardly presidents go to hide to avoid facing the people they work for—us.
Why does this matter? We know for a fact that that the bunker is being upgraded. These upgrades are almost certainly being paid for with taxpayer money. One of the many, many lies Donald has told recently is that construction of the ballroom is that he, along with his aforementioned friends, is helping fund it.
Why upgrade the bunker? We know that Donald is a dictatorial, wannabe authoritarian with fascistic tendencies. We know that he has surrounded himself with like-minded people whose mission is to destroy the constitutional order and can put in its place an authoritarian state in which minority rule continues in perpetuity. We know this. We’re watching them carry out their malign plans every single day.
The destruction of the East Wing of the White House is a very visual and visceral representation of their goals. What do we know about most authoritarian dictators throughout history? They’re very paranoid and they’re very weak. Donald, whether he admits it or not, and whether anybody around him admits it or not, is rattled by what happened the massive No Kings marches last Saturday. He’s rattled by the vast numbers of people who showed up in the streets to protest, not him precisely, but everything he stands for and all of the horrors he and the fascist Republican Party are unleashing on this country.
Donald understands on some level that he does not have the support he needs in this country to do what he wants to do unimpeded. His paranoid version of this amounts to a belief that we are coming for him. That’s certainly true metaphorically. We are coming for him. We want to hound him and all of the Republicans out of town electorally speaking. But because he’s paranoid and violent and has a dark view of the world, I don’t think Donald can quite wrap his head around the fact that we don’t have actually intend to him the kind of harm he envisions.
Karoline Leavitt, the Nazi who perpetuates Donald’s propaganda, told us today that the ballroom is Donald Trump’s main priority as President of the United States. I will have more to say about that later, but I think it is probably more accurate to say that the renovation of the bunker under the ballroom is Donald’s main priority as President of the United States. He’s deeply worried about the extent to which the American people, including and, perhaps, especially those in his base are is turning on him. He is desperate to stay in power. He has something planned, and he’s not entirely sanguine about how well any of this is going to turn out for him. I have a feeling we’re going to find out one way or the other.
Let’s dive in
It is Thursday and it was just another run of the mill day in Donald’s second term. We are in the third week of his government shutdown and the fourth day of demolishing an historic part of the White House. By the way, one thing I forgot to mention is the speed with which the destruction is happening. We went from, “Oh no, we have no intention of touching any part of the White House. The ballroom is not even going to be near it.” to it’s gone in four days. Understandably, Americans remain shocked and disgusted at Donald’s destruction of part of the people’s house to make room for that hideous and expensive ballroom. Meanwhile civil servants are being forced to wait in breadlines so they can eat while not getting paid. The Hill reports that according to a U of America poll, 53% of US citizens surveyed disapprove of Donald’s White House demolition project.
How many people approve? I assume that 47% don’t approve. Usually in those surveys it’s 53% disapprove, 30% don’t know what you’re talking about and the rest approve. But how that number is so low is kind of shocking to me. The opinions of the American people mean nothing to Donald. In fact, according to NPR, Donald’s ballroom construction plans are running ahead of schedule. This is happening very quickly, and the East Wing will be totally demolished as early as this weekend.
There are a couple of things that are good about these latest developments. They show people who don’t typically pay attention just where Donald’s priorities lie. We are looking at two events that, combined, look absolutely horrible in and of themselves, but when you put them in the broader context are just unimaginably cruel and out of touch.
Sadly, we have the destruction of a part of the White House, a house he lives in rent-free on the American taxpayer’s dime and which he does not own. It is our house, and he’s destroyed a significant part of it because nobody stopped him.
At the same time, Donald is also going ahead with the construction of that now-$300 million dollar ballroom and bunker renovations. All of that would be bad enough at the best of times, but those two events are occurring in the midst of an economic downturn that is only going to get worse entirely due to the failed economic policies of the guy currently destroying the White House. That same guy is also presiding over what looks like it will be the longest shutdown of the American government in history, all because of his failed policies and the sycophancy and cynicism of the fascist Republican Party.
Imagine if Donald pretended to care about the American people and what they’re going through right now as much he cares about his ballroom. This afternoon, the aforementioned Nazi press secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed members of the media and reporters pressed her on this deeply unpopular desecration of a national symbol. Naturally Leavitt was her usual combination of dismissive, hostile and rude. I mean, the trifecta.
Take a look at how Karoline responded to the reporter’s question.
Reporter: Can the President tear down anything he wants without oversight? Could he demolish this building or say the Jefferson Memorial?
Leavitt: So it’s not the president who came up with that legal opinion himself. That’s a legal opinion that’s been held by the NCPC for many years. It’s written. So we can get you that background in that research if you wish to include it in your reporting because it is very important. They have ruled consistently. Their general counsel has said when it comes to phase one of this project, the tearing down of the current East Wing structure, a submission is not required legally for that, only for vertical construction will a submission be required. And that’s a legal opinion from them. And we are following that legal opinion. And again, I would just, can any president do such a thing to the White House grounds? There have been many presidents in the past who have made their mark on this beautiful White House complex. This briefing room, as you all know, was not once a briefing room, it was a swimming pool. There have been presidents who have completely torn down the executive mansion. If you look at what President Truman did as some of the photos of the construction project that took place in those years, I think sitting here today we’re all grateful for those efforts and the modifications that happened at that time. And again, in due time, the East Wing is going to be more beautiful and modern than ever before. And in addition, there will be a big, beautiful ballroom that can hold big parties and state visits for generations to come.
Reporter: So it sounds like the answer is yes, he can tear down whatever he wants.
Yes, because who’s going to stop him? And do we seriously think that Karoline Leavitt is going to tell us the truth about anything? Do we think anybody ran this by a lawyer before it happened? We were lied to and told no part of the White House structure is going to be touched. We were told this by the same person who turned the Rose Garden into a parking lot. Donald will keep doing whatever he wants to do because he’s being allowed to, not because it’s correct or legal or constitutional. So I think it’s always best to start there. Leavitt was also asked about that blatant lie that the construction wouldn’t affect existing buildings.
Reporter: You mentioned any construction project comes with changes. The president had initially said that this project wouldn’t interfere with or touch the current structure. Now he says to do this properly, he realized that the East Wing had to be demolished. This is the people’s house. Why not inform the public of that change? And when it was decided that the East Wing would have to be demolished?
Leavitt: Look again with any construction project changes come and we have informed all of you, we’ve been keeping you apprised of this project. We’ve shown you the renderings, and if you look at the renderings, it’s very clear the East Wing was going to be modernized instead. In fact, I said that in the briefing when we initially introduced this plan to all of you and to the public.
Reporter: Are tearing down and modernizing two different things?
Leavitt: Well, again, the president, the plans changed when the president heard counsel from the architects and the construction companies who said that in order for this east wing to be modern and beautiful for many, many years to come for it to be a truly strong and stable structure, this phase one that we’re now in was necessary and the President wants to do right by the people’s house. And so that’s exactly what he’s doing. It’s going to be, again, like I said, much more stable, strong, secure, and more beautiful than ever. Once it’s complete.
Yes. It will also be something completely different from what it is because what it is has now been destroyed. You don’t modernize something by razing it to the ground. And for those of you who have any tiny belief that Donald has any respect for the White House, remember he actually said during his first term that it was a piece of shit .
As Donald tells us at every single opportunity, he’s a construction guy. A 250 or 300 million dollar project is planned long in advance. There is no way that an architect would suddenly say, “Wait a minute, we’re about to break ground, but we just suddenly realized we must completely destroy an entire building first.” That’s absurd.
But Leavitt and Donald know that enough people will believe them. But here’s the thing, though Karoline Leavitt, even at 27 is a very practiced liar her lies are wearing thin. And it’s getting harder for her to make her lies sound reasonable or believable.
When a White House reporter asked if Donald has more White House building projects in mind, Leavitt’s answer was rather revealing.
Reporter: In addition to the ballroom and the Rose Garden patio, is the President looking at any other renovations or significant kind of projects here at the White House?
Leavitt: Not to my knowledge, no. But he’s a builder at heart clearly. And so his heart and his mind is always churning about how to improve things here on the White House grounds. But at this moment in time, of course, the ballroom is really the president’s main priority.
I mentioned that earlier this earlier: The ballroom is Donald’s main priority. Yet, American farmers are going bankrupt; civil servants are waiting in bread lines to get food for their families; essential workers are into their fourth week of not getting paid and these include people in the military and air traffic controllers. Government agencies are being dismantled to the point where there’s no money for special education. Children in other countries that used to get aid from America are dying or have died from starvation and preventable diseases. And Donald Trump’s number one priority is building a ballroom which in his delusional state will be a testament to his greatness. But we know it is simply one more way for him to try to cover over the glaring fact that he is a black hole of need who has never been able to get the one thing he most desperately wants—love. And that’s because he’s unlovable.
There are cracks showing in the foundation of Donald’s hostile takeover of American cities. The Guardian reports that he abruptly cancelled plans to send federal agents to San Francisco. I think the most obvious question is, did Donald chicken out again? Well, let’s see. His scheduled troops deployment faced strong resistance from California officials. There were also numerous protests at a local Coast Guard base. Reportedly, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie and multiple tech executives also talked Donald out of the deployment. The New York Times pointed out all of this came after Nancy Pelosi warned that California police could arrest federal agents who violated state law. So, yes, that sounds like a bit like he chickened out. But it’s worse than that. Donald said he changed his mind as a favor to his friends.This is the kind of cronyism currently standing in place of an our government. If you are in a position to ask Donald for a favor, he’ll do you a favor. But you’re going to have to wait for the other shoe to drop. What exactly are you going to have to do for him in return? Hopefully some of these people and corporations are going to find out the hard way.
This is so powerful, so well thought out, you should have a TV show on one of the major networks. Everyone needs to hear what you know and comprehend about this man.
I am so grateful I learned about you. You make sense of all the crap that’s going on. It’s breath taking to understand the gall of his actions.
What can we do?
Paraphrasing Don Corleone in The Godfather, ""I am doing you a favor today. Someday in the future, I may ask you to do a favor for me which you WILL do for me, Copeche? " (Or else.) THAT is how one does business with Don Donnie, our mob-boss-in-chief-these days. Salut!