A forthcoming book, "Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump," by New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, claims private tensions arose between President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump regarding the second-floor residence of the White House upon his return in January 2025. The book, which the Daily Mail reported obtaining an advance look at, suggests that staff were caught between the President and First Lady over bedrooms, decorations, and renovation plans.
"He seemed almost to be competing with her — determined to have the better room." — Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, Authors of "Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump"
The authors detail that President Trump and Melania Trump utilized separate bedrooms within the residence, an arrangement long rumored about the couple. Haberman and Swan draw comparisons to the living situation of former President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jackie Kennedy. According to the book, Melania Trump maintained the traditional master bedroom, which includes an accompanying dressing room and bathroom. President Trump, conversely, occupied a neighboring room typically identified on White House maps as a second-floor living room.
Upon President Trump's return to the White House in January 2025, the book states he quickly began relocating various objects from the second-floor corridor into his designated bedroom. The authors wrote, "Sometimes Trump carried the objects in himself, rearranging things across the private quarters on a whim." Staff reportedly cautioned President Trump that some of these items had been personally selected by Melania Trump, who was spending a limited amount of time at the White House at that point. However, President Trump reportedly indicated he was not concerned by this advice. Haberman and Swan further noted, "He seemed almost to be competing with her — determined to have the better room."
The Daily Mail's report on the book's contents also indicates that some items chosen by the First Lady were moved to other areas, including the Oval Office or its vicinity. This included a substantial mirror that had been a part of her initial redesign of the Queen's Bedroom during President Trump's first term. The rapid pace of redecorating allegedly left White House staff attempting to replace missing items by photographing alternative options and submitting them to Melania Trump for her approval.
Beyond decorative preferences, the book describes President Trump's particular preference for carpet in his private bathroom. The authors detail that the carpet near the shower often became wet, leading staff to express concerns about potential mold growth. To address this, aides reportedly placed smaller, matching pieces of carpet over the larger carpeting instead of using traditional bath mats, rotating them regularly to allow them to dry.
The book also reveals that staff monitored trash within President Trump's bedroom after discovering instances where he reportedly discarded White House sterling silver utensils alongside snack wrappers, potato chip bags, and ice cream cartons.
These reported bedroom disputes extended to larger disagreements concerning other White House projects. One such instance involved the Rose Garden, where the book claims a compromise was reached. This agreement reportedly preserved the existing rose bushes while replacing the grass with white stone. A more significant disagreement, according to the book, involved President Trump's long-planned ballroom. Melania Trump reportedly raised concerns regarding its size, intended location, and the potential construction disruptions it would cause before the East Wing, which traditionally houses the First Lady's offices, was demolished. The Daily Mail reported that President Trump had desired a White House ballroom for many years, even during Barack Obama's presidency, when he reportedly contacted adviser David Axelrod to propose the idea.
"Regime Change" is scheduled for release on June 23, according to the Daily Mail, which published these excerpts from the book.
