Good morning, dear readers,
US President Donald Trump is not only changing political life in the USA at breakneck speed, but also the look of the White House. As a presidential wrecking ball, he gives the official residence a makeover. His latest victim: an Abraham Lincoln bathroom used by the president’s guests.
The fact that the US President is now having a bathroom that hasn’t been renovated in almost 80 years polished up doesn’t necessarily seem objectionable (the fact that the toilet remains standing right in front of the curtainless window does). The US President justified the renovation by saying that the Art Deco style with the green tiles was “very inappropriate” for the time of Abraham Lincoln.
The new bathroom now features black and white marble and – completely surprisingly – gold fittings and decorations. “This fits very well with the time of Abraham Lincoln and could even be the marble that was originally there,” Trump praised himself.
Donald Trump continues to push ahead with the renovation of the White House
However, the US President once again seems to have this opinion exclusively. “To me, this doesn’t look at all like an 1860s interior,” Edward Lengel, chief historian at the White House Historical Association, told the New York Times. Other historians also doubt that there was ever any marble in the room.
Trump is rapidly pushing ahead with his renovation of the White House. Since taking office in January, he has, among other things:
- the Oval Office redesigned (in gold),
- have the largest and “best flagpoles in the world” installed,
- have the rose garden designed by former First Lady Jackie Kennedy paved over to build a terrace,
- have all presidential portraits reframed in a hallway to the West Wing – and have the image of Joe Biden replaced with that of a signature machine. You can probably guess what color the picture frames are.
Who will be responsible for the cost of remodeling the bathroom is covered in silence in the White House. Several media inquiries about this were ignored. Maybe also because we realized in retrospect that the timing wasn’t quite so fortunate. Government business has been at a standstill for over a month, civil servants are on leave without pay or have to work without pay.
In addition, food aid ran out at the weekend. Although a federal judge ordered the US government to maintain the payments, Trump said he wanted to check this first.
A hit for the Democrats. “Donald Trump actually cares more about his toilet than about reforming the health care system,” wrote Chuck Schumer, Democratic Senate Minority Leader, on X. Even a quiet place is once again causing loud debates in the USA.
Was that it for the BSW?
Does she continue? Does she stop? It is not a good sign when a party is as dependent on its namesake, founder and chairwoman as the Sahra Wagenknecht alliance is on this same person. So there was a lot to discuss at the strategy meeting that the party leadership met in Berlin at the weekend. Unfortunately the most important person was missing. Wagenknecht had to stay at home because of the flu.
A circumstance that fits the picture. Ultimately, the party is also flat: it narrowly missed the five percent threshold in the federal election, it was largely divided and its momentum was lost.
Less than two years after the party was founded, the question arises: Was that already or is there more to come? Discuss about it star-Chief reporter Miriam Hollstein and star-Politics chief Jan Rosenkranz.
What was the name again?
In her piece, my colleague Nicole Simon describes a problem that I know all too well: Why can’t many people remember names? “Parents’ evenings? The sheer horror. My son’s friend’s father? No idea. “Hey, well, everything okay?” The guessing game begins in the head. And what was the name of the art teacher again? You feel demented,” she writes.
The explanation itself is simple: the brain simply has nothing to hold on to. This means that you may be able to remember information about the people, but not their names. My colleague will give you six tips on how to remember names better. I will also try to take them to heart.
And otherwise? More headlines
- Many unanswered questions about the attack plans of a 22-year-old Syrian
- Planned US nuclear weapons tests initially without nuclear explosions
- Drone briefly paralyzes air traffic in Bremen – including sightings over a military base in Belgium
This will happen on Monday, November 3rd
- The Federal Agency for Final Storage provides information about the status of the search for a final storage facility
- The foreign ministers of several Middle East countries are discussing the implementation of the Gaza peace plan in Istanbul
- Prince William visits Brazil, host country of his Earthshot Prize
Our star+ recommendation of the day
The knee enables us to walk upright. It is constructed with sophistication, and yet it often wears out and hurts. Something can be done about it – as early as possible.
How did you like this morning star? Feel free to write it to me: maximilian.seidenfaden@stern.de. You can also receive this morning briefing in your inbox as a newsletter. Get in touch simply click on the following link.
I wish you a good start to the day!
Take care!
Max silk thread
