Trump Reportedly Won't Let His Day Job Get In The Way Of His True Passion

It doesn't seem to matter that Vice President JD Vance accidentally compared President Donald Trump's taste in Oval Office decor to a toddler's, nor does the fact that many are critiquing the divisive leader's decision to build a $250 million White House ballroom. The president will do as the president pleases, and if some White House staffers who spoke to Axios are to be believed, Trump is spending an inordinate amount of his time planning his prized ballroom — and dreaming up other super expensive projects while he's at it. The former real estate mogul is said to have spent about 20 hours on these side hustles so far, and it appears that it's been interfering with his actual job of running the country. Aside from poring over 3D models of the proposed ballroom, Trump is also said to be planning on constructing a ginormous arch over the Potomac River in Arlington, Virginia. 

The president even posted a mockup of the arch to Truth Social on October 11, 2025, which features a golden angel flanked by eagles. Notably, Trump's obsession with these projects has interfered with official White House business. Reports indicate that, halfway through a meeting with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, he decided it was a good time to put business aside and show the tech billionaire the sound system he had installed in the renovated Rose Garden. While in the midst of negotiating a peace deal between Gaza and Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was given an impromptu tour of the construction at the White House. Trump even asked Florida House lawmakers to help him pick tiles for the Rose Garden patio after subjecting them to an hour-long tour of the renovations. Clearly, he isn't the only one whose work is being interrupted by these numerous side projects.

Donald Trump quite literally putting his fingerprints all over the White House might irk some and make others question how much time he really spends doing his actual job, but the president's staff reckon it's just wonderful. "He's stamping his legacy on the presidency and on the White House forever," a senior advisor gushed to Axios. "No one can get rid of the ballroom. It will be difficult to take all of the gold away. Who would even do that?" Perhaps someone with a little more class? The former "Apprentice" host's efforts to remake the White House in his own image aren't the only thing taking up his time, however; he also continues to spend plenty of time out on the green. 

Trump's golfing habits are reportedly costing people millions, but that hasn't deterred the controversial politician from participating in his favorite sport. In September 2025, USA Today reported that Trump had so far spent 66 days of his presidency on the green. In March 2025, Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett, who has been the subject of some shady rumors herself, berated him for wasting taxpayer money on such excursions. While criticizing DOGE during an April 2025 subcommittee hearing, Crockett tore into Trump's penchant for playing golf when there's more important work to be done. "As of March 30th, Trump's golfing has cost us approximately $26 million, and the last time I checked, we're not getting anything in return for that," she raged (via C-SPAN).