# Apparently President-elect Trump and his spouse don't desire to live in the White House. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 5, 2016, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-president-elect-trump-and-his-spouse-dont-desire-to-live-in-the-white-house/773893 "2016-12-05T00:58:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-president-elect-trump-and-his-spouse-dont-desire-to-live-in-the-white-house/773893/1 "2016-12-05T00:58:49Z")
Wouldn’t it be cool if they turned it into a homeless shelter? Any chance of that happening? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-president-elect-trump-and-his-spouse-dont-desire-to-live-in-the-white-house/773893/2 "2016-12-05T00:59:52Z")
I expect the chance of that happening is about as close to zero as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-president-elect-trump-and-his-spouse-dont-desire-to-live-in-the-white-house/773893/3 "2016-12-05T01:06:08Z")
No, it is a stupid question but it will be interesting to see how he splits his time between New York and Washington. The problem is that the White House is a major step down in living accommodations for him and his family. His residence in the Trump Towers are a the ultimate in [tacky, gangster decor.](https://www.google.com/search?q=donald+trump+home&espv=2&biw=874&bih=421&tbm=isch&imgil=0YdiwcwBinv0PM%253A%253BxdkJUv8eITgTrM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.housebeautiful.com%25252Fdesign-inspiration%25252Fhouse-tours%25252Fg3501%25252Fdonald-trump-penthouse%25252F&source=iu&pf=m&fir=0YdiwcwBinv0PM%253A%252CxdkJUv8eITgTrM%252C_&usg=__mPySGMGTQpJJnpAt_YhIqoY7zxw%3D&ved=0ahUKEwjSntmu7dvQAhWKfxoKHeOEC0YQyjcIKg&ei=ibxEWJK2E4r_aeOJrrAE#imgrc=0YdiwcwBinv0PM%3A) It is probably best if he doesn’t try to gold plate everything in sight in the White House itself. He does get an upgrade in the airplane department though. [His personal 757](https://www.google.com/search?q=trump+plane+photos&espv=2&biw=874&bih=421&tbm=isch&imgil=7Rzwz8h9D6_bAM%253A%253BmGewYsDqLHzFkM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.washingtonpost.com%25252Fvideo%25252Fpolitics%25252Fa-look-inside-trumps-757-plane%25252F2016%25252F02%25252F27%25252F8e485ebe-ddc4-11e5-8210-f0bd8de915f6_video.html&source=iu&pf=m&fir=7Rzwz8h9D6_bAM%253A%252CmGewYsDqLHzFkM%252C_&usg=__2_-ybuKEJ0JARlBW2Rm1VXKgi6Q%3D&dpr=2.19&ved=0ahUKEwjVkprm7dvQAhVRHGMKHTLOAoUQyjcILg&ei=_bxEWJWgLNG4jAOynIuoCA#imgrc=7Rzwz8h9D6_bAM%3A) is no match for a pair of [Air Force One 747’s complete with staff](https://www.google.com/search?q=air+force+one+photos&espv=2&biw=874&bih=421&tbm=isch&imgil=DyIaDmULQW8wSM%253A%253BRdUEn7hdw1Y7QM%253Bhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.whitehouse.gov%25252F1600%25252Fair-force-one&source=iu&pf=m&fir=DyIaDmULQW8wSM%253A%252CRdUEn7hdw1Y7QM%252C_&usg=__-X4O1BOl-Rw7KqbvB4PUFWTV2PQ%3D&ved=0ahUKEwiElLGF7tvQAhVEChoKHX9cCxgQyjcILg&ei=P71EWMT4BsSUaP-4rcAB#imgrc=DyIaDmULQW8wSM%3A). ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-president-elect-trump-and-his-spouse-dont-desire-to-live-in-the-white-house/773893/4 "2016-12-05T01:23:28Z")
Previous thread: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=810770](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=810770) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-president-elect-trump-and-his-spouse-dont-desire-to-live-in-the-white-house/773893/5 "2016-12-05T01:47:32Z")
But this _new_ thread introduces the idea of turning the White House into a homeless shelter. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-president-elect-trump-and-his-spouse-dont-desire-to-live-in-the-white-house/773893/6 "2016-12-05T01:52:32Z")
As a side note, I feel horribly sorry for Barron, who is old enough to read everything anyone has said about his family anywhere on the Internet, too young to have developed much in the way of perspective, and lacking any similarly-aged siblings who might be company for him. He _already_ looks miserable in most of the photos of the family at home, and I suspect the next few years will not be kind to him ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-president-elect-trump-and-his-spouse-dont-desire-to-live-in-the-white-house/773893/7 "2016-12-05T02:13:32Z")
Echoing others, this is about the stupidest question I’ve seen on this message board in 13 years. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-president-elect-trump-and-his-spouse-dont-desire-to-live-in-the-white-house/773893/8 "2016-12-05T02:23:00Z")
If the residence is going to be vacant for extended periods, may as well let Pence stay there. It’ll reduce his commute from the United States Naval Observatory. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-president-elect-trump-and-his-spouse-dont-desire-to-live-in-the-white-house/773893/9 "2016-12-05T03:59:29Z")
I hope Mayor de Blasio follows threw on his plan to bill the feds for all the security work the city has been doing for Trump Tower. Either than or stop helping and make the Secret Service do _everything_ themselves. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-president-elect-trump-and-his-spouse-dont-desire-to-live-in-the-white-house/773893/10 "2016-12-05T04:07:13Z")
Melania & Barron are staying in NYC (& I don’t believe they’ll really move even when the school year ends), but Donald is basically going to use the White House as his pied-à-terre during the work week (he’ll probably take a lot of 3-4 weekends too). ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-president-elect-trump-and-his-spouse-dont-desire-to-live-in-the-white-house/773893/11 "2016-12-05T04:23:45Z")
Melanie can use the White House living quarters as an extra closet. She’s got to store all those dresses and shoes somewhere. 😃 We’ve had other wealthy Presidents but Trump seems to have the most extravagant tastes. I guess he could knock out a few walls and expand the living quarters. I’m not sure which rooms are adjacent to the living quarters. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-president-elect-trump-and-his-spouse-dont-desire-to-live-in-the-white-house/773893/12 "2016-12-05T11:51:18Z")
I think it’s about more than stepping down from the gold plated penthouse in NYC. I think every move he makes, every idiot he gives a position to, is all about making things as murky and confusing as possible ensuring future prosecution is well nigh impossible. In NY he won’t be as closely watched, it won’t be possible to know who he met with when, etc. Plus he’s got the wife and butler at hand to back him up and testify, ‘he was/wasn’t in town at that time’, etc. This choice is about avoiding future prosecution I believe. It is, after all, Don the Con’s greatest strength after all. He’s getting ready for some epic shenanigans, but first, he’ll set the table so he’s teflon. This ain’t Don’s first rodeo, he’s about to school autocrats and shysters the world over on why he’s the MASTER. Buckle up! ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-president-elect-trump-and-his-spouse-dont-desire-to-live-in-the-white-house/773893/13 "2016-12-05T12:12:29Z")
You know, out of things about a Trump presidency to get riled up about, “he doesn’t want to live in the White House” is pretty low on the list in my book. It’s not as if there’s a law that says he _has_ to live there, and it’s not as if he can’t do his job unless he’s in that one specific building. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-president-elect-trump-and-his-spouse-dont-desire-to-live-in-the-white-house/773893/14 "2016-12-05T12:22:33Z")
I thought he was setting it up to be White House East. President & Wife in different states for 4 years? 1. Whats a Presidential Divorce from a “rich guy” who won’t release his tax information look like? (…Would the settlement be YU-uuuuge…?) 2. …And I thought that the escorts who worked the Beltway had shitty lives NOW… ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-president-elect-trump-and-his-spouse-dont-desire-to-live-in-the-white-house/773893/15 "2016-12-05T12:58:44Z")
And isn’t it costing tax payers a cool mil$ a day to secure Trump Tower? Bonus points for tax payers also cutting a monthly cheque (to cover the inflated rent on the gold plated penthouse), to none other than Don the Con himself! Hard not to admire a guy who’s this open about his graft, you gotta admit! But he knows there is little to no restriction on what he can get away with! He’s not even in office yet, this is just the appetizer course, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-president-elect-trump-and-his-spouse-dont-desire-to-live-in-the-white-house/773893/16 "2016-12-05T13:09:54Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > You know, out of things about a Trump presidency to get riled up about, “he doesn’t want to live in the White House” is pretty low on the list in my book. It’s not as if there’s a law that says he _has_ to live there, and it’s not as if he can’t do his job unless he’s in that one specific building. At which residence do you think his staff, Cabinet and Congress will have better access to him? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-president-elect-trump-and-his-spouse-dont-desire-to-live-in-the-white-house/773893/17 "2016-12-05T13:22:46Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > At which residence do you think his staff, Cabinet and Congress will have better access to him? They can tweet him anywhere he happens to be! ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-president-elect-trump-and-his-spouse-dont-desire-to-live-in-the-white-house/773893/18 "2016-12-05T13:24:19Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > At which residence do you think his staff, Cabinet and Congress will have better access to him? Do they not have access to telephones? Was Obama somehow less capable of presidenting when he was on the road? ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-president-elect-trump-and-his-spouse-dont-desire-to-live-in-the-white-house/773893/19 "2016-12-05T13:49:31Z")
We had a governor of Illinois who refused to live in the Governor’s Mansion. He preferred to work out of his own home in Chicago rather than spend his time in Springfield. Of course, he’s in the slammer right now, so there’s that… ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-president-elect-trump-and-his-spouse-dont-desire-to-live-in-the-white-house/773893/20 "2016-12-05T13:52:29Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Do they not have access to telephones? Was Obama somehow less capable of presidenting when he was on the road? No, he can’t _just_ telephone. [White House Situation Room](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_House_Situation_Room) > [@](#): > > The White House Situation Room, officially known as the John F. Kennedy Conference Room,[1] is a 5,525-square-foot (513.3 m2)[2] conference room and intelligence management center in the basement of the West Wing of the White House. It is run by the National Security Council staff for the use of the President of the United States and their advisors (including the National Security Advisor, the Homeland Security Advisor and the White House Chief of Staff) to monitor and deal with crises at home and abroad and to conduct secure communications with outside (often overseas) persons. **The Situation Room is equipped with secure, advanced communications equipment for the President to maintain command and control of U.S. forces around the world.** Camp David and Air Force One are similarly equipped. Trump Tower is not. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-president-elect-trump-and-his-spouse-dont-desire-to-live-in-the-white-house/773893.md?page=2)