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Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., was mocked for demanding that any 2028 Democratic presidential candidate pledge to demolish President Donald Trump's ballroom.
"Don’t even think of seeking the Democratic nomination for president unless you pledge to take a wrecking ball to the Trump Ballroom on DAY ONE," Swalwell wrote on X on Saturday.
Swalwell followed up with another post to X that read, "Or, as @RubenGallego proposes, rename it the Barack Obama Ballroom. But a Trump monument to corruption will not stand."
The Democratic lawmaker was called out by conservatives and lawmakers, including Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who wrote, "these people are deranged."
Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., listens as Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., speaks during a news conference on the introduction of their Protection from Abusive Passengers Act at the U.S. Capitol Building on April 6, 2022, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
SPRAWLING NEW $250M WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM TO BE PAID FOR BY TRUMP AND DONORS
"I thought you guys were against demolishing anything at the White House," Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, wrote.
Trump announced last week that construction had begun on the ballroom after months of touting the upcoming project to modernize the White House. The project does not cost taxpayers and is privately funded, the administration has repeatedly said.
The ballroom's construction set off a firestorm of criticism among Democrats, as well as liberal media commentators.
"Oh you're trying to say the cost of living is skyrocketing? Donald Trump can't hear you over the sound of bulldozers demolishing a wing of the White House to build a new grand ballroom," Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren posted to X.
But conservatives took aim at Swalwell's demands.
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"Yes, Democrats should run on Trump's ballroom," The Washington Free Beacon's Chuck Ross said.
Conservative commentator AG Hamilton called out Swalwell for "promising to spend taxpayer time and money" to destroy the ballroom.
He quipped that it was "certainly one way to signal priorities for Democrats."
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"The Vince Show" host Vince Coglianese pointed to the Democrats' initial criticism of the demolition at the White House.
"I was reliably told that demolishing side buildings = ‘destroying the White House,'" he wrote. "Now it's part of the platform!"
The National Review's Jeff Blehar posted a screenshot of one of his pieces that read,
"In the meantime, we shall see which Democrat is willing to escalate first, by publicly demanding a wrecking ball on Day One of the next Democratic administration," Blehar wrote.
Blehar pointed out that Swalwell's demand was the "exact language" of his piece.
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The Washington Post editorial board defended the ballroom project in a piece on Sunday, suggesting that future Democratic presidents would be grateful for the room.
"The White House cannot simply be a museum to the past. Like America, it must evolve with the times to maintain its greatness. Strong leaders reject calcification. In that way, Trump’s undertaking is a shot across the bow at NIMBYs everywhere," the editors wrote.
Fox News' Emma Colton contributed to this report.
Hanna Panreck is an associate editor at Fox News.
