RIP, White House Movie Theater, 1942-2025

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Lost among the flood of headlines about President Donald Trump’s razing of the entire White House East Wing to make way for his gilded, ostentatious monument to self known as the White House ballroom–shortly after he claimed that the existing East Wing would not be touched, much less fully destroyed–was a nugget of news that is particularly depressing for U.S. film geeks. In the course of wrecking the building, it seems one of the less prominently reported but nevertheless symbolic pieces of destruction is the loss of the White House Family Theater, the miniaturized movie screening room that had existed since 1942 as part of the now-rubble East Colonnade. Long a symbol of the social and entertainment/family side of the presidency, the theater had served as a gathering point in the private lives of the First Family over the decades, in addition to being a tool of statecraft. More than anything, it was an acknowledgement that the President was a human being; one who could appreciate art and entertainment. Perhaps it’s no surprise, then, that Trump–famously a man with zero hobbies (outside of golf) or any appreciation for the arts or culture, wouldn’t bat an eye on ordering it destroyed.

The idea of a private White House movie theater is a rather wonderful thing, the kind of factoid that a child dreaming of fame and privilege might imagine as a major perk of holding the highest office in the land–I can see any movie I want in my own private theater! The reality, of course, is likely that the theater itself has been sparingly used by many of the White House occupants, whether that is busy Presidents concerned with the daily, existential terror of steering the nation, or families that often have other residences outside of Washington D.C. One can certainly argue that the theater was more of a symbol than anything, but at the same time, it was heavily used by Presidents and their families who had more of a visible passion for cinema.

One of those high-profile users was Barack Obama, whose family consistently screened new releases, including Oscar screeners, presumably because they were keeping up with awards season contenders in the movie industry. Jimmy Carter is reportedly considered the President who used the theater the most, having somehow screened 480 films at the site in only a single term (in the midst of an oil crisis, no less), including All the President’s Men, Midnight Cowboy and no less than three different screenings of Star Wars. George W. Bush was a frequent user as well, writing about the theater in his book Decision Points, and reportedly using it as “a political asset, whether bonding with rivals, supporting a cause or building international relations,” according to his presidential library. His wife Laura Bush oversaw the most recent renovation of the theater space in 2004, which reimagined it in rich red tones inspired by the aesthetic of vintage Hollywood movie palaces. It was fitting that the First Lady should be in charge of such a project, given that their offices and operations historically operated out of the East Wing, now leveled to make space for a ballroom paid for by “private donors” courting the President’s favor.

Ironically, tours of the East Wing first began including a peek at the White House Family Theater during the first Trump administration, with First Lady Melania Trump saying at the time that “the White House belongs to the people of this country,” and that “I believe everyone who takes the time to visit and tour the White House should have as much access to its rich history and wonderful traditions as possible.” A few years later, her husband would be leading the charge to bulldoze the place she was speaking about. You can see a snippet of one such tour below.

Even before the theater was formally built, film screenings have had more than a century of history at the White House. The first recording screening at the building was of D.W. Griffith’s The Birth of a Nation by President Woodrow Wilson in 1915–it seems oddly fitting that one of the most infamously racist films in the history of the movie industry should open the tradition of theatrical screenings at the White House, and that Trump’s groundbreakingly racist administration should then end this particular era with the theater’s destruction. It was Franklin D. Roosevelt who first converted the East Terrace cloakroom known as the “Hat Box” into the theater, with subsequent remodels conducted during the terms of Ronald Reagan and the previously mentioned George W. Bush. It’s painful to think of all the history and cinematic memories of this small White House corner that have just been discarded with its demolishment.

According to a “source familiar with the matter” quoted by The Hollywood Reporter, the loss of the White House Family Theater is theoretically temporary. That person’s statement says that “the movie theater will be modernized and renovated with the rest of the East Wing.” It should be patently clear to anyone who follows news from this administration, however, that such statements absolutely cannot be trusted. Trump’s administration has taken the President’s own propensity for nonsense and pointless falsehoods to heart, trusting in compliant news media to be overwhelmed by the flood of falsehoods and outrages, and trusting that Trump’s own supporters have long since been so brainwashed by the culture war that they no longer care when presented with direct evidence of the president’s lies. Lest we forget, here’s what Trump said about the White House East Wing (containing the theater) and the planned ballroom project just a few months ago: “It’ll be near it but not touching it, and pays total respect to the existing building, which I’m the biggest fan of.” Ah yes, well I’m sure that the bulldozers and backhoes were utilizing “total respect” when they smashed the theater to dust.

Trump’s capriciousness, and his lack of esteem for history and culture, meant that he was predisposed not to care about the loss of a piece of movie history like the White House Family Theater, so this ultimately shouldn’t come as a big surprise. We are talking, after all, about a man who has extreme wealth but has seemingly never had the faintest idea of how a person might employ that wealth to lead a rich life. Trump has no interest in fine art, or even seemingly popular entertainment. He’s not an appreciator of fine cuisine, of music, or of sport (besides the one exception of golf). He famously hates the written word, and reads as little as possible. The man just doesn’t have any real interests that aren’t bilking his supporters out of their cash, or being feted by foreign dictators. What does he need with a movie theater?

If, eventually, the White House Family Theater is rebuilt during the Trump administration, we can only hope that whatever stands there in the future avoids the most garish and tacky elements of the president’s beloved Mar-a-Lago aesthetic. It seems most likely, unfortunately, that the White House theater will be reborn with walls of gold leaf and gilded columns, each perhaps topped with a bust of Trump’s head, watching over those who would dare attempt to briefly divert their attention to any other topic than the Narcissist in Chief. On the plus side, the Big Mac and Diet Coke station might be nice?

Jim Vorel is Paste’s Movies editor and resident genre geek. You can follow him on Twitter or on Bluesky for more film writing.