Former First Lady Michelle Obama joined “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” on Tuesday to discuss her new book, “The Look,” which delves into her use of fashion as a form of self-expression during her time in the White House. The interview, however, took a more serious tone when Colbert asked Obama about the Trump administration’s decision to demolish the East Wing of the White House to make way for a new ballroom, a project that has sparked significant debate.
“Every family, every administration has a right and a duty to maintain the house, make investments and improvements, and there are plenty of things that needed fixing there,” Obama said. “But the thing, it makes me confused. I am confused by what are the norms? What are the standards? What are the traditions? I just feel like what is important to us as a nation anymore?” Obama expressed a sense of disconnection from the evolving standards of presidential conduct, emphasizing the importance of preserving the traditions that have defined American governance.
Obama elaborated on the emotional significance of the East Wing, describing it as the place where life and human connection occurred in contrast to the West Wing’s more formal and work-focused environment. “The West Wing was work. It was sadness, it was problems, it was the guts of the White House. The East Wing was where you felt light. That’s where children came. We had puppies. I mean, literally apples, and it was an important distinction, because West Wing team, they needed that break. They needed to come to a place where they could be reminded of the reason we were doing this,” she said.
She further clarified that she never viewed the White House as her personal residence but rather as a public space for the people. “We were there for a time. We had a job to do. We always felt it was the people’s house,” Obama stated. This sentiment reflects a broader theme of the White House as a symbol of collective American identity rather than an individual’s personal domain.
In a separate interview with NBC’s “Today with Jenna & Friends,” Obama also spoke about the challenges of being first lady, noting the lack of a guidebook for navigating the role and the absence of a physical space to carry out its responsibilities.