Deadline Poet / November 11, 2025

The New Ballroom

Calvin Trillin
An excavator works to clear rubble after the East Wing of the White House was demolished. The demolition is part of President Donald Trump’s plan to build a ballroom on the eastern side of the White House.
An excavator works to clear rubble after the East Wing of the White House was demolished. The demolition is part of President Donald Trump’s plan to build a ballroom on the eastern side of the White House. (Eric Lee / Getty Images)

The East Wing was destroyed by night,
But Trump says it will be replaced.
He’s planned a palace, mostly gold—
A shrine to outer-borough taste.

Become a Sustaining Donor This September

Between the reemergence of right-wing red-baiting and Donald Trump’s use of the chilling National Security Presidential Memorandum–7 to criminalize left political organizing, we’re seeing McCarthyism reborn before our eyes.

This assault on democracy cannot be ignored or wished away. Resisting it requires bravery in the face of threats and repression, a steadfast commitment to the truth, and the unwavering belief that we can—and will—overcome this darkness.

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Onward,

Katrina vanden Heuvel
Editor and Publisher, The Nation

Calvin Trillin

Calvin Trillin is The Nation’s “deadline poet.”

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