Former President Joe Biden has called Donald Trump’s White House ballroom project “disturbing,” criticizing the demolition of the East Wing in an interview with PEOPLE published November 11.
Biden accused his successor of creating “monuments to himself” and questioned the gold decorations installed in the White House. “I find it beneath the country,” he said of Trump’s changes to the historic complex.
Biden, 83, spoke at his Wilmington, Delaware, home on November 5. His recollections included the letter Trump left in the Oval Office in January 2021, just before Biden took office.
Asked what he missed about the presidency, Biden singled out White House employees, from those preparing beds to those welcoming visitors. He praised the pride they took in maintaining the residence and serving the people who passed through it.
Biden Mocked the Projects at a June Fundraiser
During a June 27 Maryland Democratic Party fundraiser in Hanover, Biden targeted several other Washington projects, including changes to the Kennedy Center, a proposed arch and work on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
“Woah! What a loser,” he told the audience, according to CNN. His speech lasted roughly 10 minutes and took place on the second anniversary of the candidates’ 2024 presidential debate.
Trump Marked a Construction Milestone Days Earlier
On November 4, Trump invited reporters to the construction site and watched the final steel beam being raised into place. He signed the beam and spent nearly 20 minutes discussing the building’s marble, underground facilities and security features, according to the Associated Press.
The White House announced the project in July 2025 with an estimated $200 million price and seating for 650, compared with about 200 in the East Room. The administration argued that a permanent venue would spare future presidents the need to erect tents for large events.
In June, The Washington Post reported a contractor’s $600 million estimate for the broader project, including security, with more than half expected from taxpayers. A November 5 White House fact sheet continued to describe the expansion as occurring at no taxpayer cost. Its original announcement assigned security upgrades to the Secret Service while pledging private funding for construction.
Trump’s Letter Praised Biden’s Commitment to Americans
AP reviewed a photocopy of the letter, addressed “To ’46,’” and written in black Sharpie across two pages of White House stationery. It praised Biden’s commitment to Americans and predicted that he would make his mark on history. The transition followed weeks of Trump disputing his defeat and came two weeks after the January 6 Capitol attack.
Biden told PEOPLE that the message’s generosity surprised him. He compared its tone to something he might have received from John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson or George Bush, saying it seemed inconsistent with Trump’s conduct as president.
His memoir describes another friendly encounter when Trump visited the Oval Office on November 13, 2024, after defeating Kamala Harris. In an excerpt published by The Atlantic, Biden says Trump suggested they could have been friends without politics and praised his record on job creation. Their meeting, scheduled for 30 minutes, lasted close to two hours, according to Biden’s account.
Biden Defends Hunter’s Pardon and His Debate Judgment
Asked about Hunter’s concern that accepting a pardon had harmed his father’s legacy, Biden defended the decision. His son had been convicted of federal gun offenses and pleaded guilty to tax charges in 2024 before receiving the December pardon. Biden said he feared Trump would retaliate against family members and others associated with him.
He described his own debate performance as “not very consequential,” explaining that he had expected another opportunity to face Trump. Biden maintained that his experience and relationships with foreign leaders had equipped him to carry out the presidency.
Democratic concerns about his candidacy intensified after that appearance. Biden withdrew from the race in July 2024 and endorsed Harris, who became the party’s nominee before losing the general election.
Cancer Treatment Has Changed the Bidens’ Daily Routine
Biden was diagnosed in May 2025 with stage 4 prostate cancer that had spread to his bones. He has completed radiation and is receiving hormone therapy. He said recent tests showed no further spread beyond the disease already identified.
He rejected claims that he had concealed the diagnosis in office and said he would not have pursued reelection had he known of the illness. Jill Biden described monitoring his medication, meals, exercise and appointments, with family members helping them manage the demands of care.
Promise Me, America, his account of the presidency and his decision to leave the race, is scheduled for publication on November 17, 2026, by Little, Brown and Company.