Author | Lightnews

Rod Hilton @rodhilton.com · 2h

Assuming there's another election that a Democrat wins, what should be done with this monstrosity?

a) Just tear it down and rebuild the East Wing
b) Leave it but rename it after Obama
c) Museum of American History
d) Homeless shelter
e) "Never again"-style anti-MAGA museum
f) Convert to offices

1

Rod Hilton @rodhilton.com · 2h

God damn they took the east colonnade and the Kennedy Garden too

Brian Tyler Cohen @briantylercohen.bsky.social · 2h

“Nothing will be torn down.” — Karoline Leavitt

“It won’t interfere with the current building. It pays total respect to the existing building, which I’m the biggest fan of.” — Donald Trump

1 4 1

Rod Hilton @rodhilton.com · 3h

I'm really glad @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social is on our side because if someone with this much charisma and media savvy was a right-winger I think we'd be truly fucked.

Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 8h

MAMDANI, on Bill Ackman:

“.. He's spending more money against me than I would even tax him!"

@casestudyqb.bsky.social #NYC

4

Rod Hilton @rodhilton.com · 4h

"The East Wing is where the underground bunker has been!"

So... there's already an underground area. In the place where Trump is building a new ballroom. Just across the street from the Treasury Building.

Huh.

Reposted by Rod Hilton

Aaron Sojourner @aaronsojourner.org · 7h

Total federal spending is up +7% in 2025 over 2024 year-to-date to Oct 20.

The story that the fed govt is tightening its belt is contradicted by its own real-time expenditure data. Admin spectacularly hammering some things but raising spending elsewhere.

Was -7% just after Inauguration Day.

19 290 540

Rod Hilton @rodhilton.com · 6h

How is this not Trump's "let them eat cake" moment?

People are about to start stealing food to survive as SNAP benefits are cut, and Trump is demolishing the White House to build a garish golden monstrosity of an Epstein Ballroom whose price just keeps ballooning.

www.newsweek.com/white-house-...

White House ballroom update: Trump raises price by $100 million

The president said the proposed huge ballroom will cost "about $300 million", a substantial increase on the initial estimates.

www.newsweek.com

2 1 4

Reposted by Rod Hilton

Adam Parkhomenko @adamparkhomenko.bsky.social · 22h

This is very good

580 7.5K 21K

Rod Hilton @rodhilton.com · 20h

Remember when Ted Cruz pretended Biden was going to ban hamburgers?

Anyway, we may need to avoid eating beef so we don't die from the Argentine diseased cattle Trump's importing to compete with the ranchers he's tariffing out of business.

Life comes at you fast.

www.newsweek.com/trump-admin-...

Trump admin warns Argentina beef might be diseased but US may still import

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said issues with foot-and-mouth disease could limit how much beef the U.S. imports.

www.newsweek.com

4

Reposted by Rod Hilton

Timothy Snyder @timothysnyder.bsky.social · 1d

This is extrajudicial murder. It is illegal and unethical. And it is a pathetic use of American military force, demonstrating not strength but weakness.

Shipwreck @shipwreck75.bsky.social · 1d

U.S. strikes alleged drug vessel, this time on the Pacific side.

In what is the eighth known U.S. attack on a boat since Sept. 2, two to three individuals aboard the vessel were killed.

www.cbsnews.com/news/u-s-str...

U.S. strikes 8th alleged drug vessel, this time on the Pacific side

This is the first U.S. strike against an alleged drug vessel on the Pacific side of South America.

www.cbsnews.com

97 1K 2.8K

Rod Hilton @rodhilton.com · 23h

The East Wing used to be how members of the public would enter the White House.

It's been replaced by a ball room for billionaires.

The symbolism here could not be more on the nose.

Kim @kimoco.bsky.social · 1d

This is what it used to look like inside the lobby area.

13 42

Rod Hilton @rodhilton.com · 1d

Did... did Trump see the sketch posted online, and out of fear of another assassination attempt, decide to build a ballroom in the exact location that would obstruct the line of sight it illustrates?

This is the exact footprint of the proposed ballroom:

1 2 3

Rod Hilton @rodhilton.com · 1d

The gag in that sketch is that Trevor Moore acknowledges that it's illegal to say you want to kill the president, and even more illegal to show a diagram of how, while doing just that.

This is the diagram he shows:

1 1

Rod Hilton @rodhilton.com · 1d

Wait a sec... I may have just concocted a brand new conspiracy theory. Hear me out.

We know Trump is chronically online. And we know that every time he says something horrible, people online joking post this sketch from WKUK:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KivC...

It's Illegal to Say

YouTube video by WKUK: Whitest Kids U’ Know

www.youtube.com

1 2

Rod Hilton @rodhilton.com · 1d

Equally plausible explanation: because the Colonnade is set further back from the Treasury Building, demolishing the whole wing will prevent so many pictures of the demolition from being taken, which makes Trump look bad.

1

Rod Hilton @rodhilton.com · 1d

Soon: "Actually we're going to need to take out the whole East Colonnade as well"

Later: "May as well demolish the executive residence while we're at it"

Even Later: "Honestly Mar-a-Lago is so much better anyway, we're just going to demolish the whole thing and move the admin to Florida"

1

Rod Hilton @rodhilton.com · 1d

How much do you wanna bet that this is because the demolition team fucked up somehow and now the only way to fix it is to demolish the whole wing?

Frank Figliuzzi @frankfigliuzzi.bsky.social · 1d

Show me you think you own the place without actually saying it: Trump Administration Live Updates: White House Changes Course and Will Demolish Entire East Wing www.nytimes.com/live/2025/10...

Trump Administration Live Updates: White House Changes Course and Will Demolish Entire East Wing

www.nytimes.com

2 3

Rod Hilton @rodhilton.com · 1d

What are the chances that this ballroom construction thing like stagnates or the contractors bail on it or otherwise it just gets abandoned and we're left with a huge hole on the side of White House for months and months?

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1d

a live look at the demolition of the White House's East Wing for Trump's ballroom

2

Reposted by Rod Hilton

Mitchell Gore @lestatdelc.bsky.social · 1d

Not a fan of the new $20 bill…

Image of the back of a $20 bill showing a wrecker tearing down part of the White House.

3 140 410

Rod Hilton @rodhilton.com · 1d

I pity the souls who think they're actually going to get paid for this. Stiffing contractors is kind of this guy's whole thing.

Reuters @reuters.com · 1d

The White House said on Tuesday it will submit plans for President Donald Trump's $250 million White House ballroom project to a body that oversees federal building construction, even though demolition work began earlier this week reut.rs/4ndTcfL

3

Reposted by Rod Hilton

Carolyn Barber, MD @cbarbermd.bsky.social · 1d

Jessica Tarlov just detonated the narrative:

“The government has killed 32 people in 7 strikes with no proof they were traffickers. The admiral leading the mission quit. If we had evidence, they’d face a court — not a drone.”

Seven strikes. Thirty-two dead. Zero charges. This
#BlueSky #NewsSky

72 840 2.4K

Rod Hilton @rodhilton.com · 1d

Real conversation yesterday:

Me: I know where this is headed. At some point you're going to be like 'well so-and-so is stepping down and the term only has 6 months left so I might run in a special election'

Her: Actually you can be appointed in that case.

Me: WHY DO YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT?!

Rod Hilton @rodhilton.com · 1d

My wife has been wayyyyyy too interested in local elections this cycle.

Like, the kind of interest that I'm pretty sure means she'll eventually run for something. God help me.

1 3

Rod Hilton @rodhilton.com · 1d

(Kidding, I donated here too but since Bluesky isn't showing it as part of the thread, I also recommend communityfoodshare.org which is focused exclusively on some Colorado towns)

Community Food Share Home Page – Community Food Share

Working Together, To Feed Our Neighbors Our network of community-based partners and programs is here to provide free groceries, fresh produce, and nutritious meals for all. Our Food Programs Lea...

communityfoodshare.org

Rod Hilton @rodhilton.com · 1d

mmmmm I'm trying to do some good but not THAT good

1

Rod Hilton @rodhilton.com · 1d

Does "Every food pantry in colorado and wyoming" mean that they distribute food/meals for Wyoming residents as well? Or are they focused on Colorado only?

1