POLITICS
Newsom Mocks ‘Queen’ Trump for Building Ballroom During Shutdown
The California governor posted an edited image to troll Trump for continuing to construct his White House ballroom.
Ethan CotlerPublished Oct. 1 2025 7:49PM EDT
Gavin Newsom likened President Donald Trump to a certain controversial French monarch for continuing his ballroom construction amid the government shutdown.
The California governor’s press office posted an edited image of Trump’s face overlayed on a fictitious portrait of France’s last queen, with the caption, “TRUMP ‘MARIE ANTOINETTE’ SAYS, ‘NO HEALTH CARE FOR YOU PEASANTS, BUT A BALLROOM FOR THE QUEEN!’”
The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment.
The president, known for his extravagant taste, is nearly tripling the size of his residence with a $200 million gilded expansion.
A White House official confirmed to ABC News on Wednesday that the construction will be unaffected by the shutdown.
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“There will not be a stoppage of ballroom work when the shutdown occurs,” the official said.
Trump’s Ballroom Plans Go On Amid Government Shutdown
Follow the Daily Beast on Apple News
Trump’s aides clarified that donors are privately funding the 90,000-square-foot addition to the Executive Suite, so the shutdown, which began at 12:01 a.m. EST on Wednesday, does not affect it.
CBS News previously reported that companies helping to foot the bill include Google, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Palantir. And on Monday, Alphabet-owned YouTube handed over $22 million to the Trust for the National Mall “to support the construction of the White House State Ballroom” while settling a lawsuit.
Newsom’s press office trolled Trump earlier over the continued work by posting a mock conversation between “DEMOCRATS,” “MAGA,” and the president.
The post on X read, “DEMOCRATS: Lets make health care more affordable — lets keep the ongoing funding!”
The office wrote “MAGA,” as replying “No,” and President Trump as replying, “‘Go F— Yourself’ (actual quote) and I’m gonna keep building my ballroom.”
The expletive quote refers to a White House official telling Politico last week that Trump “read all the s— they’re asking for, and he said, ‘on second thought, go f— yourself,’” in response to Democrats’ demands to avoid a shutdown
unhallowed1014 on
Hank Scorpio
Smithy2232 on
I’m glad Newsom is making a spectacle of Trump, but it is going to take more than this to bring him down.
louthescarybitch on
This is the best of newsom since JD ‘just dance’ Vance
Accurate-Guava-3337 on
The feminine little hands are on point. Trump wishes he had that much hair, though.
Sensitive-Stock-9805 on
I’m glad he marked it AI generated because I’m guessing if Trump saw it, he would repost it as his best hair day ever!!!
shawnf9632 on
“Yeah I know a good friend and supporter of mine was just brutally assassinated publicly and what a tragedy; but did you see we began construction on this new ballroom? It’s gonna be great”
jetty_junkie on
My favorite part about this is the picture of Queen Trump being clearly labeled “AI Generated “
night_dude on
This rhetoric is really not helpful at all, and changes nothing. It’s just hot air. Wrestling with a pig. I hope Newsom is nowhere near the nomination.
jetty_junkie on
“Let them eat steak”
Catspaw129 on
INFO: Is this like: “we’re gonna cancel already allocated funding the for the NYC Gateway Tunnel but the White House Ballroom is going forward”?
No_Manager_4696 on
Fellow progressives: do not pretend to be offended by “queen” as a slur. Now ain’t the time. Girl, OWN that statement.
OptimalSelections on
Trump reads “AI” as the man’s name “aL”. He thinks some guy named al is creating these.
fluffybunny9000 on
Looks like his mom
128-NotePolyVA on
Trump wants what he wants and takes what he wants and gets what he wants and neither law, nor justice, nor consequence will stop that.
And that is why it’s time to close this chapter on American politics and the era of Trump.
shiranami555 on
Who is going to spend time in the ballroom once it’s constructed? Who is coming to these “balls”, or whatever happens in ballrooms in modern times?
19 Comments
POLITICS
Newsom Mocks ‘Queen’ Trump for Building Ballroom During Shutdown
The California governor posted an edited image to troll Trump for continuing to construct his White House ballroom.
Ethan CotlerPublished Oct. 1 2025 7:49PM EDT
Gavin Newsom likened President Donald Trump to a certain controversial French monarch for continuing his ballroom construction amid the government shutdown.
The California governor’s press office posted an edited image of Trump’s face overlayed on a fictitious portrait of France’s last queen, with the caption, “TRUMP ‘MARIE ANTOINETTE’ SAYS, ‘NO HEALTH CARE FOR YOU PEASANTS, BUT A BALLROOM FOR THE QUEEN!’”
The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment.
The president, known for his extravagant taste, is nearly tripling the size of his residence with a $200 million gilded expansion.
A White House official confirmed to ABC News on Wednesday that the construction will be unaffected by the shutdown.
Get the Daily Beast in your inbox
“There will not be a stoppage of ballroom work when the shutdown occurs,” the official said.
Trump’s Ballroom Plans Go On Amid Government Shutdown
Follow the Daily Beast on Apple News
Trump’s aides clarified that donors are privately funding the 90,000-square-foot addition to the Executive Suite, so the shutdown, which began at 12:01 a.m. EST on Wednesday, does not affect it.
CBS News previously reported that companies helping to foot the bill include Google, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Palantir. And on Monday, Alphabet-owned YouTube handed over $22 million to the Trust for the National Mall “to support the construction of the White House State Ballroom” while settling a lawsuit.
Newsom’s press office trolled Trump earlier over the continued work by posting a mock conversation between “DEMOCRATS,” “MAGA,” and the president.
The post on X read, “DEMOCRATS: Lets make health care more affordable — lets keep the ongoing funding!”
The office wrote “MAGA,” as replying “No,” and President Trump as replying, “‘Go F— Yourself’ (actual quote) and I’m gonna keep building my ballroom.”
The expletive quote refers to a White House official telling Politico last week that Trump “read all the s— they’re asking for, and he said, ‘on second thought, go f— yourself,’” in response to Democrats’ demands to avoid a shutdown
Hank Scorpio
I’m glad Newsom is making a spectacle of Trump, but it is going to take more than this to bring him down.
This is the best of newsom since JD ‘just dance’ Vance
The feminine little hands are on point. Trump wishes he had that much hair, though.
I’m glad he marked it AI generated because I’m guessing if Trump saw it, he would repost it as his best hair day ever!!!
“Yeah I know a good friend and supporter of mine was just brutally assassinated publicly and what a tragedy; but did you see we began construction on this new ballroom? It’s gonna be great”
My favorite part about this is the picture of Queen Trump being clearly labeled “AI Generated “
This rhetoric is really not helpful at all, and changes nothing. It’s just hot air. Wrestling with a pig. I hope Newsom is nowhere near the nomination.
“Let them eat steak”
INFO: Is this like: “we’re gonna cancel already allocated funding the for the NYC Gateway Tunnel but the White House Ballroom is going forward”?
Fellow progressives: do not pretend to be offended by “queen” as a slur. Now ain’t the time. Girl, OWN that statement.
Trump reads “AI” as the man’s name “aL”. He thinks some guy named al is creating these.
Looks like his mom
Trump wants what he wants and takes what he wants and gets what he wants and neither law, nor justice, nor consequence will stop that.
And that is why it’s time to close this chapter on American politics and the era of Trump.
Who is going to spend time in the ballroom once it’s constructed? Who is coming to these “balls”, or whatever happens in ballrooms in modern times?
Madam Deficit
“Let them eat McDoubles” -Trump, probably
I love newsom. I can’t help it I just do